Saving Stephanie
by ColdWeatherChica
Summary: A woman's search for her birth parents leads her to Trenton, NJ, and into the lives of Stephanie, Joe, Ranger, and the Merry Men. Will Steph be able to help her find her parents or will her current life-threatening situation lead her to run away from everything and everyone she knows? Babe HEA - eventually. Cupcake friendly.
1. Chapter 1

This story is based upon characters created by Janet Evanovich. I don't own them, I only play with them, and for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

A/N

OK, so I had a strange idea for a story and thought I'd give it a go. This one is going to be a big departure from my last story, and although some aspects of this plot line have been written before, I think I've made it different enough to be interesting… At least, that's my hope. There is a bit of a backstory here before we get into any of Janet Evanovich's recognizable characters, so I hope you'll bear with me. Also, there is a time jump in this story, so when you read of 2016 as the past, please recognize that this was done intentionally. So, if you're still with me, I hope you enjoy. Please let me know what you think and if it is too convoluted to continue or if it is worth the effort. Thanks, Chica.

* * *

I'm sure you've heard the saying that the truth is stranger than fiction. Let me tell you, truer words have never been spoken! Then again, is it still the truth if you're the only one experiencing it? Perhaps I should explain a little more about me and how I got into this situation so that you can judge for yourself…

My name is Jennifer Clark. I'm thirty-five years old, single, and currently living in Southern California. When I was only a couple of months old I was adopted by an absolutely wonderful couple. My adopted parents were in their late forties when I came along, and as much as they adored one another, they doted on me just as much. When most of my friends growing up barely saw their parents, mine showed up to all my school events and generally hosted all the neighborhood kids after school. They said that I blessed their lives two-fold; once when I made them parents and again when they became the unofficial "mom" and "dad" to all my friends. They were truly great people and I miss them both every day.

Last March my dad turned eighty-two. He'd been in pretty decent shape throughout his seventies, both my parents had, but Dad had been having some health issues for the last few years. Last June he had a heart attack and passed away. My mom, who'd never spent a night away from my dad since the day they married, died less than a week later. While the doctor's claim she died of natural causes from old age, I know that she really died of a broken heart. And while it was extremely difficult losing my mom so soon after losing my dad, I know that she hadn't wanted to live another day without him.

I'd had everything I'd ever wanted growing up, except for a larger family. Being an only child isn't uncommon, but it would have been nice to have aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents… you know, people with whom you can celebrate the holidays and major life events. Both my parents were only children and their parents had died before I was born, so a bigger family was never an option.

Having been adopted, I couldn't help but wonder about my birth parents and the family I might have had. Throughout my childhood, and even into adulthood, I'd wondered who my biological mother and father were. I'd never wanted my mom and dad to think I was in any way unhappy being their daughter, however, so I'd never tried to find out more about them. Now that I was alone in the world, and because I didn't have to continue my customer service work for quite awhile (thanks to a significant inheritance), I was determined to find out where I came from, and as much as I could about my biological parents.

In 2016, "closed" adoptions were still pretty common, which meant that there was no contact between the birth mother and the prospective adopted families. Records were sealed and adoption agencies were legally bound to keep the identities of the birth parents confidential, even from their children.

The search for my birth parents began with the agency that handled my adoption. Fortunately, they were still in business. Unfortunately, the only information they were able to give me was that I was born at Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego and that my mother died shortly after my birth. My father was unknown, even to them.

Even though the population of San Diego County in 2016 was over two million people, I was determined to find the identity of my biological parents. Using the only information I had (the date of my mother's death), I spent a surprisingly small amount of time on my computer to determine that while the county had over twenty-two hundred deaths in 2016, there were only seven deaths on the day I was born. Of those seven, five were male. The remaining two were a thirty-three year old woman and an eight year old little girl. Assuming that the records were complete and accurate, the name of my birth mother was Diana Wayne.

I typed her name into the search engine and found a single article in the San Diego Union-Tribune that mentioned her by name. The article read:

 _ **Local woman dies as the result of injuries sustained in an automobile collision; unborn child survives**_

 _At 4:15am Tuesday, a pregnant woman, identified as thirty-three year old Diana Wayne of Kearny Mesa, died from injuries sustained in an auto accident. Wayne was travelling southbound on I-5, just past the Clairemont Dr. exit, when she was struck by a black SUV, subsequently losing control of her vehicle and crashing into an approaching semi-trailer truck. Wayne was emergency-lifted to Sharp Memorial where she underwent an emergency C-section before dying of her injuries. The baby was delivered in good health despite her premature birth, though she is expected to remain in the NICU for a couple of months._

 _Fifty-six year old Charles Anderson of Chula Vista, the driver of the semi, was uninjured. The driver of the black SUV has not been identified. CHP has declared Wayne's death a vehicular homicide and has asked to be contacted by anyone with information related to the identity of the driver of the black SUV._

My vision began to blur as tears flowed silently down my face. After thirty-five years I had finally discovered the name of my birth mother and I'd learned how she had died. From an early age I'd fantasized about both my bio-mom and bio-dad… making them out to be royalty or even super-heroes; but mostly I wondered what had happened to make them want to give me up. There was something immensely satisfying in learning that I hadn't been given away, but rather that I was a survivor in the accident that killed my mother. Somehow I knew that if this was all I ever learned about her, I could find peace with it. Having said that, I wasn't about to stop looking now that I had a name and a solid start to my investigation.

* * *

 **3 Months Later**

The temperature in New Jersey was very similar to that of Southern California this time of year, but the humidity was something else entirely. The minute I'd stepped outside JFK International Airport in New York to locate my rental car, my hair began to frizz in ways I didn't know it could. Luckily, I always kept a supply of hair ties in my purse, so I was able to pull it back into a messy bun and called it good. I found my car, loaded my bag into the backseat and made my way to the interstate.

It was already after five o'clock so all the county offices would be closed until tomorrow morning and I'd have to wait to determine if the missing Trenton woman from 2016 was in fact my mother, Diana Wayne. All I had to go on was a photocopy of a thirty-five year old driver's license, which didn't look much like the Trenton woman.

After a disappointing trip to Dallas, however, I was hoping for better news. There just weren't any leads left to follow. I'd hired a reputable detective agency when my own search stalled out, but they didn't have much better luck beyond suggesting that her name was a fake, since her history had only gone back about six months. That's when I started seeking out missing persons that had disappeared around the time my mother's fake identity started. My fear was that if she had gone to the trouble of changing her name, then perhaps this wasn't the first time she had done it. Worse yet, what if she'd faked her death so that nobody would have ever been looking for her. Since both of these options certainly existed, my last hope was to look closer at the missing woman from Trenton. This is how I ended up in New Jersey.

I'd always hated trying to navigate busy traffic at night, and since I had a good hour-and-a-half drive time ahead of me, my first order of business was to make my way to I-95 while it was still light out. Then I'd just have to pop over to I-195 and follow it into Trenton, get some dinner and find a hotel. The flight from San Diego was the longest I'd ever taken, but I'd been able to get a direct flight, so it was only a little over five hours. I wouldn't have thought that sitting on my ass for that long would leave me so tired, but I was beat and really looking forward to sleeping in a comfy bed… after I got something to eat, that is.

I made it into Trenton a little before eight o'clock and pulled to a stop in front of an old brick building that had burgundy awnings and neon signs announcing _pasta_ and _pizza_ in the windows. I had been hungry when I landed at JFK; now I was absolutely famished! Reaching over to the passenger seat, I grabbed my purse and then climbed out of the car. The neighborhood didn't look too bad, but I was afraid that my suitcase in the backseat would be an open invitation for someone to either steal my bag, or the car, or both, so I pulled it out of the backseat in order to place it into the trunk. That should have occurred to me before I left the airport… but I guess it's better late than never.

The trunk popped open and I tossed my suitcase inside before closing it again. I was in the process of readjusting my purse straps on my shoulder when the straps were pulled away from me completely. Before I could even register the pain in my shoulder from having my purse ripped away so violently, I saw a young man on a bicycle riding away with my purse. Without giving it much thought, I started chasing after him and yelling at the thief to stop. He looked back at me and smirked, causing my indignation to flare and my speed to pick up.

While I didn't want to admit defeat, it was obvious by the time I made it to the end of the block that there was no way I was going to catch up with him. I started to slow down and finally came to a stop in what turned out to be the middle of an intersection. My head whipped to the right and I saw a car a split-second before it hit me.

When I came to, I found that I was lying on my back in the road and my head was killing me. There was a crowd of people around me and so much noise that at first I didn't realize that someone was talking to me. After a moment, the din lessened and I was able to distinguish between the background noise and the voice of the man leaning over me. He was a handsome black man with a strong jaw line and a serious look in his eyes. He appeared to be holding something against my head as he tried to get a response from me. "Can you tell me your name?" he was asking. Somehow I got the feeling it wasn't the first question he'd asked me, but despite the seriousness of the situation, or perhaps because of it, I wanted to lighten both the mood and the look in his eyes.

"I'll tell you mine, if you tell me yours," I replied cheekily.

His expression softened immediately and I heard a few chuckles from nearby. "My name is Bobby Brown," he said with a smile.

"Hi Bobby," I said quietly.

"You know, there are easier ways to get a guy's attention," he said with a smirk. "Didn't your mother ever tell you to look both ways before crossing the street?"

I groaned at my own foolishness. Not only was chasing down a bicyclist on foot, a pointless endeavor, running in front of a moving vehicle was just plain stupid. I tried to sit up but Bobby put his hand gently on my shoulder and told me to stay still.

"An ambulance will be here in about two minutes to take you to the hospital to get checked out," Bobby said. "Try to lie still until they get here, OK?"

I nodded and instantly regretted the motion as my head started throbbing even more. "Ugggh," I said and closed my eyes.

"Don't do that," Bobby instructed. "Don't you close those pretty blue eyes on me," he said. He was talking to me in a playful manner, but the tone of his voice suggested that he was very serious. I didn't want to upset him, so I opened my eyes and looked at him again. "That's better," he said. "Now, I told you mine…" he encouraged.

I smiled up at him. "My name is Jennifer Clark," I told him.

Bobby returned my smile. "It's my great pleasure to meet you, Jennifer Clark," he said sweetly.

I blushed at the attention. It had been a long time since a handsome man had given me any kind of consideration, and although I suspect Bobby was merely trying to keep me calm until the ambulance arrived, I eagerly soaked it up.

"Is there someone I should call for you, Jennifer?" Bobby asked.

I started to shake my head in the negative but was quickly reminded why that wasn't a good idea when the small movement intensified the pounding in my head. I stilled myself and groaned in resignation. "No," I said after a beat. "I literally just got to town when that guy took off with my purse. I haven't even checked into my hotel yet," I pouted.

"Were you planning on letting someone know that you'd arrived?" he asked. "Your husband, parents maybe? Or perhaps someone here in Trenton?"

"No," I said again quietly. "I'm not married and…" My voice hitched for a split second and I had to swallow before finishing my sentence. "There isn't anyone else. No one else is expecting to hear from me." I closed my eyes and tried to keep the tears at bay and the loneliness from my voice. "I don't know anyone in Trenton," I whispered.

Without skipping a beat, Bobby replied. "Aww… I'm hurt," he said in mock indignation. I opened my eyes and looked at him in confusion for a moment. "You forgot me already?" he asked.

A small smile made its way onto my face as the paramedics arrived. Knowing that the professionals were here allowed me to relax my body and close my eyes. I was incredibly tired and figured it might not be a bad idea to be sleeping when they were ready to move me. After all, it really hurt when I moved and I was not a fan of pain.

I could hear Bobby talking again but for the life of me I couldn't make out what he was saying. It almost sounded as though he was at the end of a long tunnel. My eyes remained closed as unconsciousness was quickly taking me, yet I didn't want Bobby to think I was ignoring him by not responding to whatever it was he was saying. "Bobby…" I murmured. I felt someone squeeze my hand gently and figured that Bobby had understood what I was trying to say.

* * *

When I woke up in the hospital, my entire body ached. A quick glance over my extremities assured me that I had no broken bones, though there was a brace on my right knee. And while my head still hurt, I had just been hit by a car. All things considered, I was doing pretty well.

"How are you feeling?" asked a familiar voice from the doorway.

"Hi Bobby," I replied with a smile. "I was just trying to convince myself that I was lucky enough to be in one piece, but the truth is I hurt all over!"

He chuckled. "Let me just tell them you're awake and we'll see about getting you something for the pain." He stepped back out into the hallway for a moment before returning and claiming the empty chair beside my bed. "The doctor should be in to check on you in a couple of minutes."

I smiled sincerely, "Thanks."

"Not a problem," he replied easily. "I've got the inside track… my girlfriend is the doctor." He smiled at me conspiratorially.

 _Of course she was_ , I thought to myself. A man as kind and handsome as Bobby wasn't going to be single. I tried to derail this train of thought before I blushed and embarrassed myself even further.

"So…" I said, searching for something to talk about. "Are you a doctor, too, then?"

Bobby smiled and ignored the slightly awkward segue. "No," he replied. "But I am the company medic for a security firm here in Trenton."

"Well, that certainly explains the excellent bedside manner," I offered. "That must be a pretty big company to have a full-time medic on staff."

"Injuries are fairly common in our line of work," he suggested. "So although thirty-one people may not be a large number, having a certified medic on staff definitely cuts down on hospital visits. Of course there really isn't a high enough demand for full-time employment, so I just act in that capacity whenever the need arises."

That made sense to me. It was kind of like the CPR training I'd received before I started lifeguarding over the summer my junior and senior years of high school. It was knowledge that I had at my disposal should I need it, but it wasn't part of my day-to-day job. I nodded my head in understanding.

"What do you do when you aren't patching people up?" I asked.

"I typically oversee the installation of security equipment and meet with clients, though I do help out on the occasional fugitive apprehension," Bobby replied.

"Fugitive apprehension," I clarified. "Like bounty hunting?"

"One and the same," he said.

"I bet people give themselves up when they see you walk into the room," I teased. Bobby was over six feet of lean muscle and not an ounce of fat. While he'd been smiling and friendly to me, I had a feeling that when the occasion called for it, he could be very intimidating.

"Actually," he chuckled. "I'm one of the smaller guys at work." His smile widened at the shocked expression on my face.

Before the surprised look was gone from my face, there was soft a knock at the door, followed by the entrance of a woman I assumed to be Bobby's girlfriend. She was a short Indian woman with long black hair, a trim figure, and kind eyes. She introduced herself as Dr. Cheema but said that since I was a friend of Bobby's, I was to call her Anaya. I liked her immediately.

"Well, Miss Clark," she began.

"Jennifer, please," I interrupted.

She smiled. "Well, Jennifer," she tried again. "It appears that you were able to avoid any permanent damage, but you did manage to dislocate your right kneecap, and you have a mild concussion, but nothing that warrants an overnight stay in the hospital."

"That makes a lot of sense," I said as I ran my hand along my head gingerly and winced when I felt a goose egg just above my temple.

"Yes, I am certain that it does," she said kindly. "I will send a nurse in here momentarily with some pain medication, and an anti-inflammatory for your knee." I nodded. "You should also keep ice on your knee several times a day for the next couple of days. It was re-set, and with the help of the brace for the next couple of weeks, it shouldn't need further attention. Just use a crutch if you need to get around and try not to put any weight on it."

"OK," I acknowledged.

"As for your concussion," she continued. "You'll need to have someone wake you every two to three hours any time you sleep between now and this time tomorrow. Have them ask you simple questions to check for any unusual responses. I want you to come in immediately if anything changes." I nodded. "You may take Tylenol for the pain, but not Aspirin or ibuprofen." Anaya returned the pages of my chart to their original position under the clipboard before looking up at me. "Any questions?"

Until Anaya mentioned being released from the hospital I hadn't considered where I would go. Now that it was out there, though, I couldn't help the downward spiral my mind was taking while desperately trying to figure something out. Without my wallet, I didn't have access to cash or credit cards so I wasn't sure how I'd pay for a hotel room. The banks were all closed until tomorrow, and I didn't even have my cell phone so that I could report my cards stolen before that bicyclist started ringing up charges. I was getting angry at the thought, and to be honest, I was getting a little worried, too. _I suppose I could always sleep in my rental car_ , I considered. Not having someone to wake my while I slept was the least of my problems.

"Jennifer?" Anaya's voice pulled me from my thoughts and I saw at an expectant look on her face. She was clearly waiting for a response from me and it took another moment for me to remember her last question.

"Sorry," I said sheepishly. "I don't have any questions."

She looked at me and seemed to be mulling over my response. It was as though she was trying to determine if I was more brain damaged that she'd thought, and I couldn't help but think how simple my life would be right now if she were right. "OK," Anaya replied carefully. "I'll just submit the order for your medication and get the ball rolling on your discharge paperwork."

"Thanks," I said sincerely. I took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and allowed myself to sink back into the pillow. Without this killer headache, I was sure I'd think of a simple solution to my current dilemma.

"I have to step out for a minute," Bobby said out of nowhere. He stood up quickly, and grabbed his cell phone that was clipped on his belt. It didn't seem all that strange to me that he might need to make a phone call, but he was sporting the most unusual expression. It most closely resembled a combination of worry and determination. "I'll be back before you're ready to fly the coop," he said as he made his way to the door.

"Bobby, I'm so sorry!" I said seriously. "I'm sure you have more important things to be doing than to spend your time with a virtual stranger. Please don't feel you need to keep me company."

He put his hand up to stop me from saying anything further. "Jennifer, stop," he said. "I just needed to make a call. There's nothing I'm missing out on by getting to know my new friend." He smiled at me so genuinely that I couldn't help but believe him. I smiled in reply.

"OK," I conceded.

"Don't give it another thought," he instructed with a smile. "I'll just be a couple minutes."

Bobby left the room and less than a minute later a nurse came in to administer my medication. She had already finished and was on her way out when Bobby returned. He had a clipboard tucked under his arm and a big smile on his face.

"What's got you smiling so big?" I asked.

"I'm just a happy guy," he replied with a grin. He made his way back to the seat beside my bed and placed the clipboard on his lap. "I thought I'd help you fill out your paperwork so you don't have to read anything with your headache," he said.

"Oh, that would be great!" I enthused. "Thanks!"

Bobby proceeded to ask for my full name, mailing address, and phone number, before dutifully writing them down. It wasn't until he asked me for my birthdate that things got weird. Bobby was smiling initially, thinking I'd been pulling his leg. When he took in my puzzled expression, however, his whole demeanor changed.

"You aren't joking, are you, Jennifer?" Bobby asked slowly.

"Joking about what? My birthday?" I was really starting to get confused. "What are you going on about? Why would I lie about my birthday?"

"Tell me," Bobby said. "What year is it now?"

"Seriously?" I asked.

He nodded.

I responded honestly, "It's 2051."

* * *

A/N

OK, what did you think? Too far out there? Interesting? I'd love your feedback! Chica.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N

A big thanks to those of you who took the time to review my first chapter. I'm going to move forward with this storyline as long as there is interest. Hopefully after this chapter the story will make a little more sense and you'll be able to see a bit more of where I plan on taking it. Also, this is the first time I've changed the POV, so let me know if it works! Thanks, Chica.

* * *

Previously:

" _Tell me," Bobby said. "What year is it now?"_

" _Seriously?" I asked._

 _He nodded._

 _I responded honestly, "It's 2051."_

* * *

 **Bobby's POV:**

I ran my hand through my hair, trying to make sense of the situation I now find myself in. There was no doubt in my mind that Jennifer actually believed it was the year 2051. The only real question for me was whether her delusion was caused by brain damage from when she was struck by the car, or if it was a pre-existing condition.

It was easy to read the expectant look on Jennifer's face as she waited for me to gather my thoughts. She was clearly confused, and not wanting to distress her, I didn't say anything. Perhaps I could just gloss over her response for now and focus on getting as much information from her as I could without upsetting her. There must be someone I could contact about her condition, and maybe they'd be able to tell me if her 'time travelling' was a new development.

"OK," I said cautiously. "Can you tell me your social security number?"

She didn't say anything for a minute and I was sure she was going to bring up her birthdate or the current year, but then she surprised me by giving me the number. She seemed content to allow the previous line of questioning to drop for now, and I was quick to move past it lest she decided to circle back.

For the next few minutes I took down all the information required for the hospital and asked a few questions of my own. "Jennifer," I began. "Who should we list as your emergency contact?"

The sad look from earlier was back and I had a feeling I wasn't going to like where this was going.

"I'm not sure, Bobby," she said quietly. "My parents died last year and I don't have any other family."

"I'm so sorry to hear that," I replied sincerely. Her eyes began to well up and I silently prayed that she wouldn't start crying. I never knew how to respond when people started crying. "How about a friend, then?" I suggested. "Someone from your work?"

She started to shake her head from side to side. "No," she said. "I quit my job three months ago and I haven't been really good about keeping in touch with my friends the last couple of years. It'd be awkward to contact them now." She sighed and closed her eyes as a single tear escaped. "There really is no one."

I placed my hand on top of hers and gave it a small squeeze. Hopefully, she'd take comfort in the gesture because I wasn't sure what else I could say or do to help. Jennifer smiled and squeezed back.

We finished filling out the paperwork and I told Jennifer that I'd run them to the nurse's station so they could process her release. She nodded her agreement and I was struck again by the look of worry in her eyes. I suspected that all of her money had been stolen along with her purse, and that she wasn't sure where she'd go. It was exactly why I'd cleared her use of the medical suite with Ranger when I'd called him earlier. Jennifer was going to need someone to check in on her periodically tonight and I thought it would be more comfortable for her there than in my apartment on four. Not to mention, it would be more comfortable for me when Anaya found out. Of course, Jennifer's staying at Rangeman would still depend upon a clean background report, which had been Ranger's only stipulation.

I'd stepped into an empty room down the hall to call Hector. I knew it was late, but he'd just come off a monitor shift half an hour ago, and there was a good chance he hadn't gone to sleep yet. Fortunately, Hector answered on the second ring. I quickly gave him Jennifer's information and asked that he run a background check on her to see if having her in the building was a security threat. I also asked him to locate her next of kin so we would have an opportunity to determine the extent of her injury/illness.

While I waited for Hector to call me back, I went in search of Anaya. I found her conferring with another doctor in front of the nurse's station, so I skirted around her to speak with one of the nurses.

"I've got paperwork for you, Becky," I said sweetly as I handed her the clipboard. "Could I trouble you for a copy?"

"It's no trouble," she smiled. "But maybe you'd be willing to put in a good word for me with your friend Hal? He's such a sweetie!"

Becky was a skinny, little blond with green eyes and a nice smile. She was twenty-six years old and she blushed beet-red every time Hal looked at her… which was extra funny because Hal is one of the shyest people I know and gets tongue-tied whenever a woman talks to him. I wasn't sure how they'd possibly have a conversation, let alone an actual date, but if they could figure it out I think they'd be a good fit for one another. "I'll make sure that I do," I told Becky.

She giggled, thanked me profusely, and then left to copy Jennifer's paperwork. Ordinarily I'd never ask for confidential information, but I wanted to help her and knew I'd need to remember the information she'd given me. I'm sure the only reason that Becky copied it for me is because she knew me. As Rangeman's medic, I was here often enough to develop a good camaraderie with most of the hospital staff and I certainly wouldn't risk that by misusing the trust they had in me.

Anaya had finished talking with the other doctor and was making her way over when Becky handed me my copies. I thanked her and tucked them into one of the pockets of my cargo pants before wrapping my arm around Anaya.

"Hello Jaanu," I said as I kissed her cheek. ( _Jaanu is an Indian term of endearment which roughly translates to sweetheart_ )

"You know I love it when you call me that," she whispered.

"I'm counting on it," I acknowledged before nibbling her ear.

She shivered and slapped my chest playfully. "Enough of that, I still have two hours," she pouted. "Are you coming over tonight?

"I'd love to," I began. "But I'm going to try to get Jennifer to stay in the medical suite at Rangeman tonight so I can keep an eye on her." Anaya looked at me in surprise. "She just flew in from California and doesn't have anyone she can call to check up on her tonight," I explained. "I'm assuming she doesn't have any money since she was chasing a purse-snatcher when she was hit by the car." Anaya's expression changed from surprised to adoring. I loved being on the receiving end of that look.

"You're a good man, Bobby Brown," she said. "How about we have lunch together tomorrow?"

"It's a date," I replied happily.

Anaya kissed my cheek and headed down the hall to check on a patient. On my way back to sit with Jennifer, my phone rang. I walked to the same empty room I'd used a few minutes before and answered the call.

"Hola, Hector," I greeted. _(Hello, Hector)_

Not one to waste time with unnecessary words, Hector jumped right into the conversation. "Ella está tratando de sacar algo," he said. _(She's trying to pull something)_ "Ninguno de su información desprotege. Su número de la seguridad social no existe. _(None of her information checks out. Her social security number doesn't exist)_

"Bien hombre, gracias," I said. _(Alright man, thanks)_

I hung up the phone and sat down on the bed. My instincts were telling me that Jennifer was just confused and not "trying to pull something" as Hector had suggested. The problem was, I had no idea how I could help her figure out what the truth really was. At this point, I was worried that her head injury was more significant than we'd originally thought. Then again, perhaps she was delusional even before she was hit by the car. I needed to talk with Anaya again and get her medical opinion.

 **Jennifer's POV**

I gave Bobby answers to all the questions he asked me, even some I was sure weren't on the hospital's forms. And even though it took all my willpower, I didn't ask him to elaborate on his question about the current year. Somehow I knew that I hadn't given him the answer he expected and it made me wonder if I had truly lost my mind. The scary part was that I could still remember every detail about every major event in my life, and just couldn't imagine how I would have lost a year or several years of my memory. The look on Bobby's face had me convinced, however, that it was not 2051 and I wondered how many years I had missed.

When we were done, Bobby left to drop off the paperwork and I was left alone. At least, I was until the door opened and Diesel walked in. What was he doing in New Jersey? _I must still be unconscious_ , I thought to myself. How else could this craziness be explained if not with a dream? Maybe I'm in a coma or something… after all, I did get hit by a car.

"You're not dreaming, Jen," Diesel said, grinning impishly.

"How do you do that?" I screeched. "I swear, sometimes I think you can read my mind."

"I can read your mind," he replied. My brows furrowed in surprise and irritation, since he was obviously having fun at my expense, but before I could call him on it, he continued. "But that isn't important right now."

"What are you talking about?" I asked. I was getting really confused, which wasn't doing much for my headache.

Diesel made his way to the bed, sat by my side, and grabbed hold of my hand. "I know you're confused right now, but we just don't have time to get into it."

"D, what's going on?" I asked in a whimper. "Have I been in a coma for a few years or something? Bobby was surprised when I told him what year it was. How long have I been here?"

Silent tears started making their way down my cheeks as I braced myself for what Diesel would say. We hadn't known each other long, but the minute we met, I knew I could trust him. If he told me I was off my rocker, I'd believe him.

"Listen to me, Jen," he said softly. He brushed my silky brown hair away from my face with the type of gentleness a parent would have for their child. I wonder if I saw him that way because we met the same week my parents were buried. "You're not going crazy, and you haven't been in a coma; you've only been here a few hours."

"But Bobby…" I started to say but was stopped by Diesels next words.

"Bobby was right, it isn't 2051," he said. "It's 2016." He waited a beat for that to sink in before continuing. "Jen, why did you come to Trenton?"

My mind was still reeling around the idea that I had somehow travelled back in time so I didn't respond to his question right away. This couldn't be true, could it?

Diesel sighed and reached around for the clipboard at the end of my bed. When he handed it to me, he pointed to the printed date at the top right portion of the form. My heart sank as I read, August 21, 2016. How was this happening?

"Why did you come to New Jersey?" Diesel tried again.

I pulled my eyes away from the form in front of me and looked at him. "I was trying to figure out who my birth mother was. I hoped she was the woman who disappeared from Trenton in September of 2016." I took a deep breath as I tried to explain my hopes for this crazy expedition. "I thought that if I figured out who she was, I could find my birth father or maybe a sibling, and I wouldn't have to be alone anymore."

"Oh, sweetie," Diesel cooed. He pulled me to him in a gentle hug and stroked my hair. "I'm so sorry." He let me hold him for another minute before pulling away and looking at me again. "It could have worked out so differently. I should have been there to look out for her, I owed her that much."

My eyes were swimming in tears and I couldn't make any sense of what he was saying. "What could have been different?" I asked. "Who did you owe?"

"Everything would have been different," he sighed. "If I'd been here for Stephanie… your mother."

It didn't make any sense. How could Diesel have been here for my mother, we were the same age for Pete's sake! Wait! Did he say my mother's name was Stephanie? "So she is the missing woman," I whispered.

"No Jen, but she will be," he replied. "Here and now it is still August 21, 2016; Stephanie won't go missing for another three weeks."

"But how?" I asked. "How did I get here?"

"Your mother was a special woman to a lot of people," he said. "The debt she was due was transferred to you when she died. When your plane landed in New York, your heart's desire was to know who your mother was, and so you've been given a rare gift. The debt has been repaid."

"So… what, I get to know her for the next three weeks and she still dies in December?" I cried. "What kind of gift is that?"

Diesel brushed my hair out of my face again and said softly, "You could stay."

I sat there stunned. My head refused to wrap around the concept… _could I stay_? "What about my parents?" I asked. "If I stay, what happens to them?"

"Their lives will be much like it was, except the child they adopt will not be you," he said. "If you stay, your mother will still die, but you will have lots of family and many friends."

"But I'm currently two years older than my mother, how would her family ever accept that I'm her daughter?" I said sadly.

"You won't be able to tell them who you really are," Diesel replied. "If you choose to stay, the Jennifer Clark who was born in 2016 will cease to exist. A new background will be created for you, and any relationships you develop will be based upon your assumed identity."

"So I'd get to have a relationship with my family, but only if they don't know I'm their family?" I clarified.

"Yes," Diesel said simply. "And unfortunately we've run out of time for you to think it over. If you want to stay, I need to know now before Bobby returns." He stood beside the bed and looked at me expectantly.

It didn't take long for me to come to my decision. I truly loved my parents, but they were gone now. I had no one left to miss me in California, or rather, in 2051. At least I'd be able to get to know my birth mother. Even if it is just for a little while, that would be the real gift. "I'll stay," I said firmly.

"Good," he replied. Diesel smiled at me sincerely. "The particulars of your life as you know it will remain the same, except now they begin in 1981. When they look into your background now, it will all check out as it should." I nodded my head. "Remember, you can't tell anyone who you really are or why you came to Trenton."

"I understand," I said. "But what do I tell them?"

He smiled. "That's entirely up to you. But if I were you, I'd try to keep it as close to the truth as possible. Lies have a way of snowballing out of control if you're not careful."

"OK," I replied. "What do I do about money? Where will I live?"

"Don't worry so much," Diesel said. "I have a feeling you'll work it out."

He leaned over and gave me a kiss on the forehead. He smiled again, then turned around and left me alone once more. I lay my head back against the pillows and closed my eyes. I wanted a moment to make sense of everything Diesel had shared with me. I was simultaneously excited for my new adventure and terrified that it could all be an elaborate dream.

A knock on the door startled me. I looked up to see Bobby and Anaya standing in the doorway and I smiled at them. "Sorry, I must have fallen asleep."

Anaya gave me a big smile. "You'll need rest to fully recover," she said kindly. Bobby had moved over to the empty chair and sat down while Anaya perched beside me on the bed. "I'd like to check you over again, and if everything checks out, you'll be good to go, OK?"

I nodded and she continued.

"Do you want Bobby to step outside?" she asked.

"No," I replied. "He can stay." I pondered Bobby's nervous demeanor. I couldn't be sure, but I was guessing he'd been thinking I was completely nuts… perhaps he was right. But even if I was, I was going to stick to the rules Diesel had explained to me. If I had really travelled into the past, I didn't want to figure out what would happen if I broke the rules and told the truth. If, however, I had been imagining the conversation with Diesel and I really had lost my mind, giving Anaya and Bobby the answers they wanted would probably work out better for me in the long run. Either way, I'd decided to tell them I was a child of the eighties.

"Good," Anaya continued. She proceeded to move her hands to my neck and gently probe around my neck and shoulders. "Any sensitivity here?" she asked.

"No more than the rest of me," I answered with a smile.

Her hands moved up to my head and she turned it a couple of times. She then started investigating the area around the big knot on the side of my head from where my skull connected with the windshield. "How about here?"

"It's a bit tender around that lump on my head, but otherwise not so bad," I said.

"OK, just a quick neurological exam and we're all finished," she reached into the pocked of her lab coat and pulled out a pen light before shining it in my eyes. I flinched for a second and the pain the light caused. It wasn't too bad, so I was able to ignore it after a moment. "Can you tell me your birthdate?" she asked.

 _Well played, Dr. Cheema_ , I thought to myself. Well, I wasn't going to let my guard down around her kind eyes and gentle touch.

"December 12, 1981," I replied easily. I could see Bobby's jolt of surprise out of the corner of my eyes, but I didn't dare make eye contact with him.

"Good," she replied. "And do you know today's date?"

"Unless it's past midnight, it is August 21, 2016," I said confidently.

"OK," Anaya replied. "Everything looks good; any last questions for me?"

I shook my head. "No. Thanks Anaya," I said sincerely.

"It is my pleasure," she responded. "Just sit tight for a few minutes and we'll have you on your way."

"OK," I agreed.

"I'm going to walk Anaya out," Bobby told me.

He placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her out of the room. I let out a breath and tried to relax. I'd managed to tell my tale without falling apart, so I was hoping that was a good sign. If I managed to get out of here without being sent to the mental ward, I'd plan my next move.

 **Anaya's POV**

Bobby walked me out of the exam room and closed the door behind us. When we had gotten a little further down the hall, he pulled me to a stop and whispered intently.

"Well," he asked. "What do you think?"

I put my hand on his cheek and smiled. "I think she's going to be just fine," I replied.

"But, what about thinking it was the year 2051?" He asked.

"Bobby," I said patiently. "She clearly knows today's date, and she said she was born in 1981. People are often confused when they have concussions; you know that." He nodded and I continued. "Just keep an eye on her and make sure she still knows what's going on when you wake her up tonight."

"That may be a problem," Bobby said sadly.

I waited for an explanation.

"In order for her to stay at Rangeman, she needs to pass a background check," Bobby replied. He ran his hand through his cropped hair before continuing. "I had one of the guys run her info, but I obviously didn't have the right dates to give him, and he said she doesn't exist."

"I'm telling you now, Bobby," I chuckled. "That woman does indeed, exist."

He let out a huff. "I know that," he said. "But how do you explain her social security number not existing?"

"Maybe he made a mistake and typed the wrong number," I suggested.

"Maybe," he conceded. "But either way, I can't let her stay in the medical suite until we have a clean background check."

"What do you want to do, Bobby?" I asked. "She can't stay here. There's no medical necessity for her to be admitted."

"I don't know," he sighed.

"Bobby," I said softly. "Jennifer Clark is not your responsibility. Perhaps a shelter…" He cut me off before I could even finish my thought.

"NO!" he said emphatically. "She doesn't have anyone else, Jaanu. I can't leave her to fend for herself."

I held his face between my palms and kissed him gently. "And that is why I love you."

"I love you, too," he said tenderly. He pulled my hands from his face and held them for another moment. "I know someplace I can take her tonight. Hopefully we can look for a more permanent solution tomorrow."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N

Finally, this chapter introduces Steph to the story. I hope you enjoy… let me know what you think! Thanks, Chica.

* * *

Previously (Anaya's POV):

" _Bobby," I said softly. "Jennifer Clark is not your responsibility. Perhaps a shelter…" He cut me off before I could even finish my thought._

" _NO!" he said emphatically. "She doesn't have anyone else, Jaanu. I can't leave her to fend for herself."_

 _I held his face between my palms and kissed him gently. "And that is why I love you."_

" _I love you, too," he said tenderly. He pulled my hands from his face and held them for another moment. "I know someplace I can take her tonight. Hopefully we can look for a more permanent solution tomorrow."_

* * *

 **Stephanie's POV:**

My heart was racing. Between the darkness of my room, and the haziness of my sleepy mind, I couldn't make sense of the pounding which woke me. I switched on the bedside lamp and checked the clock. _What the hell?_ The only person I'd want to see at this hour would have picked the locks, crawled into my bed, and woken me in a much more pleasurable way. Sadly, since the knocking persisted, I knew it wasn't Ranger.

"Come on, Bomber, open up!" came a familiar voice from the other side of the door.

I threw my pillow in irritation and climbed out of bed. Since I had been sleeping in nothing but Ranger's t-shirt, I took a moment to pull on a pair of shorts before answering the door. "What?" I barked.

Standing in the hallway outside my door were Bobby and familiar-looking woman that I couldn't quite place. Bobby had a big grin on his face and a look in his eyes I knew I wasn't going to like; the woman was holding a pair of crutches. "Do you know what time it is?" I continued, undeterred.

"Sorry, Bomber," Bobby said sheepishly. "I know it's late, but I need a favor." He glanced at the woman beside him and then looked back at me. "Can we come in?"

"Yeah," I sighed. "Come on in."

If my mother had heard me greet my guests that way she'd cut me off from dessert indefinitely… whether they'd been invited guests or not. Bobby must have been a little surprised by my response, too, although I don't know what he'd expect from me, showing up at one in the morning! Not wanting to get myself riled up, I took a deep breath, let it out, and forced myself to smile at the pair.

I stepped back and opened the door enough for them to enter, taking the opportunity to get a closer look at the woman as she passed. There was something strange about her. I couldn't explain exactly what it was, but even though I knew we'd never met, I couldn't shake the feeling that we had. She had my height and build but her skin tone was more caramel in color. Her dark hair was straight, resting just below her shoulders, and was currently pulled into a pony tail at the nape of her neck. She was wearing a dark-wash pair of jeans and a stretchy blue t-shirt that was splattered with what appeared to be blood. She looked bewildered.

I couldn't help but feel a little guilty for staring at her as she made her way into my apartment, especially when I noticed her obvious discomfort. I closed and locked the door before turning back to face them. Bobby set down a small suitcase and I could feel myself heading into full 'rhino mode' at the implication. Bobby noticed it too, and jumped in before I had a chance to say anything.

"Bomber," he said sweetly. "This is Jennifer Clark." He gestured to me and I couldn't help but smile at the woman. She seemed so lost and it wasn't fair to be mad at her when Bobby was the one interrupting my beauty sleep.

"Jennifer," he continued, gesturing to me. "This is Stephanie Plum."

At the mention of my name, Jennifer's eyes widened and she began looking equal parts excited and nervous. Great, a groupie.

"Whatever you've heard," I said earnestly. "It wasn't my fault."

Bobby chuckled and shook his head. Jennifer was back to looking confused.

"Bomber," Bobby said. "I doubt she's heard anything about you. She just flew in from California today. Well, I guess technically it was yesterday."

Finally, the woman spoke. "It's nice to meet you, Stephanie."

"You too," I replied. I smiled at her genuinely, then turned my attention back to Bobby. With both eyebrows in the air, I shot him a look that said 'spill it'.

"Well, like I said, Jennifer is new in town," Bobby hedged. "And unfortunately, she was mugged and then hit by a car earlier this evening."

"Oh my, God!" I cried. "Are you OK?" I'd moved to her side and guided her to the couch, sitting beside her.

Jennifer smiled at my concern. "I'm a bit sore," she said. "But I'm going to be fine."

I felt like an ass. Regardless of the hour, this woman had had a terrible introduction to our fair city and I hadn't been making it any easier. I took in the suitcase beside the couch once again and addressed Jennifer directly.

"You obviously need a place to stay," I said gently. She blushed in embarrassment and nodded her head. "Well, my apartment isn't much to look at, but you're welcome to stay here until you're able to straighten everything out."

The relief on Jennifer's face made my protective instincts kick in. She'd clearly been concerned about where she would sleep tonight. I wondered why Bobby brought her to me, then figured she hadn't been comfortable with the idea of staying at Rangeman. Not that I'd blame her; a security building full of scary-looking guys could be quite intimidating. I gave Bobby a slight nod of my head. I would make sure she was comfortable and taken care of.

"Thank you," Jennifer said on an exhale. "I'm sure it'll just be until the morning. As soon as I figure out how to access my bank account without any proof of ID, I'll be out of your hair."

"Don't worry about it," I replied, giving her leg a little pat. "Did you file a police report?" I asked.

Jennifer began to shake her head but Bobby answered for her. "Carl and Big Dog responded to the scene," he said. "I told them that I'd take her to the station in the morning. She wasn't really in a position to answer any questions when they were loading her into the ambulance." Jennifer looked at Bobby with surprise and confusion. "You were unconscious at the time," he told her.

"Oh," she replied.

"Unconscious, huh?" I asked. That didn't sound good; but it was hardly a surprise. "Concussion?" I asked her.

Bobby was suddenly interested in the floor when she responded. "Yes, but it's not too bad," she said through a yawn.

I smiled. There was just something about Jennifer that made me want to look out for her. Perhaps it was the vulnerability and confusion I felt rolling off her in waves. I wasn't sure, but I felt an almost sisterly instinct to protect her. Maybe it was just that she'd been living in California, like Val had been before she'd moved back. Regardless, I'd make sure she was OK.

"You look tired. Why don't we kick out Bobby and you can get some sleep," I suggested. "I'll need to wake you up every few hours," I told her. "But we can sleep in." Bobby certainly didn't need to tell me about concussion protocols; with all the times I've been to the hospital, I was pretty much an expert.

Bobby smiled at me. "Thanks, Bomber!" He pulled me from the couch and into a big hug.

"Air…" I wheezed. "Need … to… breathe," I stammered.

"Oh," he said, putting me down. "Sorry."

I just shook my head at him and grinned.

"I'll be by later in the morning to take her to the police station," Bobby said. Looking to Jennifer he said, "You'll be in good hands here. Get some rest, OK?"

She nodded and smiled at him. "Thanks, Bobby… for everything."

He gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Hey, what are friends for?" Bobby grinned and headed towards the door, and I followed him.

"I can take her to the station in the morning," I told him. "I don't have any skips right now, so I was just going to clean up a bit and mooch lunch from my parent's."

"How about I take you ladies to lunch instead?" he offered.

"Sure," I agreed. "I'll give you a call in the morning."

I closed and locked the door after Bobby left and made my way back to Jennifer. It's late, why don't I show you where you'll be sleeping and we can get some sleep? She nodded her agreement and stood, reaching for her crutches. "It might be easier not to have to make too many trips with those crutches," I said. "Why don't we swing by the bathroom on the way and you can brush your teeth or jump in the shower if you want? I can grab your bag for you," I offered.

"That'd be great," she replied. "I'd really love to wash the blood out of my hair."

I grinned at her in understanding and left her at the door to the bathroom so I could grab her bag. On my way back, I grabbed a clean towel from the hall closet and brought both items to her. "I've got your bag and a clean towel for you," I told her. "There is body wash and shampoo already in the shower, so make yourself at home."

"Thanks, Stephanie," she said sincerely.

"Not a problem," I replied. I closed the bathroom door and headed to the bedroom to change the sheets. After a fresh set of sheets was on the bed I grabbed my extra blanket and a pillow from the closet and laid them both on the couch. Giving up my bed for a stranger is something I'd normally never consider, but I know what it's like to be banged up and sore, and I wouldn't feel good about myself if I stuck her on the couch. Besides, it's not like my bed is anywhere near as comfortable as Ranger's bed. If it were, I might have a harder time letting her have it.

My cellphone charger was still plugged in on the kitchen counter where I typically leave it at night, so after dropping in a couple of raisins in Rex's cage, I brought it into the living room. I'd need it to be within reach while it juiced up. Having to wake Jennifer up every couple of hours was going to leave us both pretty tired come morning, but at least I'd already had a few good hours of sleep before she came over.

Jennifer came out of the bathroom in a cute pair of pajamas just as I set the alarm on my phone. I could now see the brace she had on her knee and I hoped it wasn't hurting her that much.

"The bedroom is this way," I said as I jumped up from the couch to lead her down the short hall.

She looked at the blanket and pillow on the couch and stopped in her tracks. "Oh, no!" she said adamantly. "I'm not going to kick you out of your own bed!" She started making her way back to the living room when I stepped in front of her to block her path.

"Jennifer, you were hit by a car and have a concussion, among other things," I said as I pointedly looked at her leg. "There's no way in hell you're sleeping on the couch, so just get over it so we can go to sleep!" There was no way she would win that argument with me, and fortunately, she seemed to recognize that it would be pointless to try. I smiled at her so she would know I wasn't angry. "Come on, there's fresh sheets on the bed already, so just crawl in. I'll grab a glass of water and some Tylenol for you."

"Are you sure, Stephanie?" she asked hesitantly. "If nothing else, we could share the bed, it's big enough for us both."

"That's sweet of you to offer," I said. "But it'll be safer for you if I don't. I tend to move around a lot while I sleep and I'd probably hurt you unintentionally." She nodded her head but still looked a little guilty. I put my hand on her shoulder. "Honestly, it's fine."

After she took the Tylenol I verified that she didn't need anything else and made my way to the couch. I fluffed up my pillow and curled into my comforter before quickly falling asleep.

When my alarm woke me, it felt as though I'd just closed my eyes. I shut it off and made my way to the bedroom, clicking on the lamp. Jennifer was resting on her side and as soon as I saw her I realized why she looked so familiar. She looked just like Ranger! She had the same hair, the same nose, and although her skin tone was a little lighter, it was so close that they just had to be related. Was she one of his sisters? A cousin? Why wasn't she staying with him?

I shook Jennifer gently to wake her. "Jennifer," I called softly. "Wake up Jenny."

Her eyes blinked a couple of times before they cleared and she looked at me. It took a moment for the confusion to fade away and for her to remember where she was and why. "Hi Stephanie," she said.

"Hi. Do you remember where you are and what happened?" I asked her.

"Yes," she said groggily. "I was hit by a car and Bobby brought me here after we left the hospital."

"That's right," I said. "Jennifer, are you in town to visit Ranger?"

She looked at me in confusion. "I don't know who that is," she replied.

"Ricardo Carlos Mañoso," I said. "Are you one of his sisters?"

"Stephanie," she said sincerely. "I have no idea who you're talking about. The only person I know in Trenton is Bobby, and I just met him tonight."

Jennifer was clearly telling the truth and I was disappointed that I wouldn't get to find out any dirt on Ranger. Sure, he shares my bed periodically, but it's not like he's all that willing to share his life. Someday... that's what he says. Someday he'll be willing and able to make a life with me. _OK, enough!_ I tell myself. Daydreaming isn't going to change anything… besides, I should be night-dreaming right now.

"It doesn't matter," I said. "Go back to sleep, I'll wake you at six."

She looked a little concerned before giving up the line of conversation. "OK," she agreed quietly. She snuggled back into the pillow and was softly snoring before I'd reached the bedroom door.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N

Thanks for the feedback from the last chapter. For those of you that are still confused, please hang in there. I promise it will start to come together a bit more in the coming chapters. These past few have just been setting the stage. But, as always, please let me know if this chapter meets your expectations or not. Any and all feedback is welcome. Thanks, Chica.

* * *

 **Jennifer's POV:**

The bedside clock read nine-thirty and I realized that Stephanie would be coming in to wake me in just a few minutes. I figured that I might as well pull myself out of bed now since I was already awake. Having always been a morning person, I couldn't remember the last time I'd slept this late; then again, I was hit by a car last night. Of course, now that I think about it, it probably has more to do with the time difference than anything.

My body ached all over and I groaned when I sat up. I needed to find some more Tylenol, but I needed to tend to Mother Nature, first. I heard Stephanie's alarm go off in the living room when I stood and hopped over to pick up my crutches. They'd been leaning against the wall on the other side of the nightstand and just out of reach from my sitting position. Once I was situated, I made my way towards the bedroom door and nearly gave Stephanie a heart attack when she opened it and found me standing in front of her.

A strangled gasp left her mouth and her hand flew up to her chest when she opened the door. "Good morning," I said softly. "I didn't mean to startle you."

It only took Stephanie a moment to shake off her surprise. "Whew!" she exclaimed. "If I wasn't awake before, I am now!"

I was glad that she didn't seem upset at all, and I giggled in agreement.

Composing herself again, she asked, "Do you want some coffee?"

"Yes, please," I replied. "That'd be great, but I need to make a small detour first." I indicated the bathroom with a tilt of my head.

"Sure," Stephanie replied. "I just started a pot, so it should be ready when you come out. Take your time."

She smiled so genuinely that I couldn't help but return it. "Thanks," I said as I made my way into the bathroom. I took care of business and was standing at the sink washing my hands when I glanced at my reflection for the first time. _Yikes!_ I thought. My hair was relatively normal looking, but that was about it. My skin was a little paler than normal; I had dark circles under my eyes, some minor road rash near my hairline, and a nice bruise on my cheekbone. I lifted up my shirt and found that most of my right side was one big bruise. It certainly explained my aching body. I splashed some cold water on my face and took the opportunity to brush my teeth before joining Stephanie in the kitchen.

"How are you feeling?" she asked. Stephanie pointed at the small kitchen table and I sat down.

"Like I got hit by a car," I grinned at her. "I'm pretty achy this morning," I admitted. She handed me a cup of coffee and put containers of half-and-half and sugar on the table. I poured a generous portion of both into my cup and sighed in satisfaction at my first sip. Stephanie had disappeared around the corner, returning a moment later with a bottle of Tylenol. "You're an angel," I told her.

"Let's just say, I know a thing or two about being a walking bruise," she replied with a small grimace.

My shock and concern for her must have flashed across my face because she instantly jumped in to alleviate my fears.

"It's not what you're thinking," she stated. "I'm not in an abusive relationship or anything; it's just that, in my line of work, I often end up in worse shape than those I'm trying to capture."

Now I was really confused. Neither Bobby nor Diesel had told me what Stephanie did for work, so I could only assume she was in law enforcement of some sort. Of course, making assumptions about anything is generally a bad idea...

"What is it that you do for a living?" I asked.

She looked at me in surprise. "You've really never heard of me?"

I shook my head. "No, I don't know the first thing about you." I replied. "Other than you are friends with Bobby of course, and that he calls you… Bomber?"

Stephanie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, a lot of the guys call me Bomber or Bombshell," she began. "It's a shortened version of the nickname that the newspaper gave me, 'The Bombshell Bounty Hunter.'" She looked at me as if trying to gauge my familiarity with the name. Not recognizing it, I just shrugged and waited for her to continue. "Unfortunately for me, when I'm working as a bounty hunter there's a tendency for things to explode around me. Most of the time it's my car or one of Ranger's cars, but a couple of businesses and my apartment have also gone up in smoke. Fire-bombs are the worst!"

My mouth dropped open as I tried to process everything she just said, but all I came up with were more questions. I didn't know where to start except to realize that this woman, my birth-mother, must be leading the most exciting life I've ever heard of. Was she an adrenaline junkie? Did she intentionally put herself in that kind of danger? She seemed more like someone you'd see working at the bank or the grocery store rather than dodging fire-bombs and criminals. Were there a limited number of jobs in this town? And who were the guys she spoke of, and who was Ranger?

"I can see you've got a lot of questions for me," she said easily. "Why don't we get cleaned up and head out to breakfast; I don't have much in the apartment. We can get to know one another over pancakes and then I can take you to the police station so you can file that report."

I thought it was a great idea, but was concerned about one thing. "Um, Stephanie," I said timidly. "I don't have any money right now." I was really embarrassed to find myself relying on strangers for food and a place to sleep and I didn't like it.

"Don't sweat it," she said easily. "Breakfast will be my treat and when you get everything straightened out, you can return the favor. OK?"

She really was a nice lady. "OK," I said. "Thanks."

"Did you want to grab a shower this morning?" she asked.

Although the heat from the water would probably feel pretty good against my aching muscles, I figured that it would take me awhile just to get dressed and I didn't want to make Stephanie wait on me any longer than necessary. "No," I replied. "I think I'm OK since I got one in last night. I'll just get changed." I stood up and made my way to the bedroom where my suitcase had been moved.

"OK," she said as she followed me into the bedroom. "Let me just grab my clothes. I'll take a quick shower and change in the bathroom."

Stephanie pulled some clothing out of the dresser and made her way to the bathroom. We made eye contact as she closed the door behind her and I shot her a smile, which she easily returned.

I was pleasantly surprised when I had completely finished getting dressed and was just hearing the shower shut off. Glad that Stephanie wasn't going to be waiting on me, I made my way to the kitchen and rinsed out our coffee cups while she got dressed. We headed out a couple of minutes later and got into a brand new Porsche SUV. I was a bit surprised that someone who could afford such an expensive car would live in such a bare-bones apartment.

"Nice!" I offered while I was buckling up.

"I know, right?" she gushed. "I love this car, but it's not mine. Ranger's letting me borrow it until my insurance check comes in."

"OK, who is this Ranger-person? You asked me about him last night," I said. "You thought I was in town visiting him?"

"I'm sorry about that," she started. "It's just that you look so much like him that I thought you might be related. I've only met one of his sisters before, so I thought that you might be one of the three I hadn't met."

"Sorry," I replied. "I'm quite sure I'm not one of his sisters, since I don't have a clue who that is. But since he's lending you a car, I'm guessing he's your boyfriend."

Stephanie blushed a little and squirmed in her seat for a moment before responding. "Not exactly," she said. "Ranger doesn't really do relationships. He's my mentor in the bounty hunting business and he looks out for me. He's my best friend." She smiled proudly with her last comment but her smile seemed to falter as her mind went elsewhere.

"And you're in love with him," I concluded.

Stephanie startled and jerked the wheel to the right a little and I began to wonder whether or not she was OK to drive. She quickly straightened and started laughing to herself.

"Wow, I guess if someone I'd just met can tell, I'm not hiding it very well," she said distractedly. "It doesn't matter though, I'm never going to act on it."

We pulled into the Denny's parking lot and Stephanie found an empty spot near the front. When we were unbuckling our seatbelts I asked her, "Why wouldn't you go for it? Are you seeing someone else?"

She stopped with her hand on the door handle. "No," she paused and then huffed in apparent frustration. "It's complicated."

I didn't want to drop the conversation, but Stephanie didn't seem like she wanted to talk about it anymore right now. Maybe she'd open up more once we were inside and were more comfortable.

There was no wait to get a table which surprised me a little, and I said so. Stephanie just laughed in reply and said that Friday was still a work day for most people and that ten-thirty on a weekday wasn't really the busy time for breakfast places around here. That certainly seemed logical. I told her that places in California are pretty much always busy, at least they were where I lived. We were escorted to our table then, and once we were seated Stephanie began asking questions about me and where I was from.

I stopped talking long enough to order and then I continued telling Stephanie about San Diego and my favorite things to do and see in the area. She asked me what I did for a living and I told her that I'd recently quit my job as a customer service agent and wasn't sure what I wanted to do next.

"Why did you quit?" she asked.

"I guess I needed a change," I began. I wasn't sure how much I could tell her without spilling the beans on the real reason I came to Trenton. "My parents died last year and I've been kind of lost since then," I admitted.

"I'm so sorry, Jennifer," she said sincerely. Her hand came across the table to give mine a squeeze; her compassion stirred my emotions in a way I hadn't expected. I discretely wiped a tear from my cheek before taking a deep breath and getting ahold of myself.

"I don't have any other family, and I haven't really been close with any of my friends in awhile," I said. "So I guess it just felt like time to move on, you know?"

"Sure," she said. "That makes sense. How'd you end up in Trenton of all places?"

Now I was stuck. I didn't want to lie to her, but I also knew that telling her the truth was out of the question. Diesel had said to keep what I told people as close to the truth as I could so that lies didn't snowball out of control, and I took a moment to consider what I might say that wouldn't be a complete lie.

"I was looking for something different and actually spent a little time in Texas before deciding that it wasn't for me. An acquaintance of mine mentioned Trenton and I thought that maybe I'd find what I was looking for here." I gave Stephanie my biggest smile when I realized that I had, in fact, found what I was looking for. "I'm really happy to have met you and Bobby."

"I'm sure Bobby would agree with me, Jennifer, I'm happy to have met you, too!" she said.

"You can call me Jen," I told her. "It's what my friends call me… and thank you."

"OK, Jen," she said. "Then you can call me Steph."

"I'd like that, Steph," I answered.

The rest of breakfast went by quickly as we got to know one another. Steph told me about her family and about Ranger's employees, whom she refers to as the "Merry Men". She deftly avoided the relationship question with Ranger, but was pretty open otherwise. Before we knew it, the lunch rush was on and we were starting to get dirty looks from our server. I guess we'd overstayed our welcome.

Bobby called Steph as we were making our way back to the car and offered to take us both to lunch. Since neither of us were hungry anymore, she suggested meeting for dinner at a place called Shorty's, instead. Steph told me that I'd get an opportunity to meet some of her Merry Men because Bobby was going to invite anyone that wasn't working to join us. I was a bit nervous at the prospect, but also very excited.

"So, Jen," Steph began. "Where to? The police station? The bank?"

"Are you sure you have time to drive me around?" I asked instead. "I have a rental; you could just drop me off."

"It's no trouble," she answered. "It'll give me the opportunity to introduce you to some of Trenton's finest. Besides, you probably shouldn't be driving with that brace on your knee."

"I'm sure I could manage," I argued weakly. "But you're probably right."

"In fact," she continued. "We should probably see if one of the guys will follow us over later today so you can drop it off and avoid paying for a rental when you aren't taking it anywhere."

"Steph," I said sincerely. "I don't want to impose upon you any more than I already have. If I'm successful at the bank today, I'll probably find a hotel and then I'll need the car to get around."

"You could certainly do that," she agreed. "But hotel rooms add up quickly. If you're thinking you'll stick around, why don't you stay with me for awhile? At least until you're fully recovered. That'll give you time to determine if you like the area enough to find your own place."

"Won't having me around interfere with your work?" I asked. "Or your bed! I can't let you sleep on the couch again in your own apartment."

She smiled. "The work is a non-issue," she told me. "I make my own schedule so I could still take you around if you needed, but a better idea might be for you to come with me for a bit."

I looked at her dumbfounded. "I don't know the first thing about bounty hunting, plus, I'm not exactly in tip-top shape right now."

"You wouldn't have to do anything," she continued. "Really, you could stay in the car. I was just thinking that riding around with me might be a good way for you to get familiar with the area. You know, decide if you want to stick around long-term?"

"I certainly don't have anything else going on right now," I agreed.

"As for the bed," she said. "I'll talk to the super and see if he has a roll-away or something we could use for awhile. Dillon stores a lot of things like that in the basement when tenants move out and don't want all their furniture. He lets the residents have first pick of anything he gets, but there's usually plenty of things left over and we might get lucky."

"Why are you going to so much trouble for me?" I asked. "Don't get me wrong, I _do_ appreciate it, I'm just surprised. You don't really know me all that well and having someone move in with you, even for a little bit is kind of a big deal."

Steph considered her next words carefully before she spoke. "To be honest, it just feels right," she said. "I probably sound like a weirdo, but I can't help but feeling like we were supposed to be friends. Like it was pre-destined or something." I shot her an incredulous look. "Honestly, I'm not a nut case or anything, I just want to look out for you and help you get settled in the area. But if you're at all uncomfortable with the idea, I won't be offended, and I'll still help you get familiar with the area, find a job, or whatever you want to do."

I was more than touched by her generous nature, and immensely proud that she was my mother… especially since her behavior didn't have anything to do with that little tid-bit. As strange as the turn of events in Trenton were, I couldn't regret the opportunity to know her better, even for a short while. Maybe I could find out who my father is. Ranger seemed like the most likely candidate at this point, but perhaps there's someone else in the picture, too. Staying with Steph would certainly give me the best chance of finding that out and much more. I smiled at her.

"I am honored that you'd trust me enough to open your home to me," I told her. "Thank you, Steph."

"Is that a yes?" she asked.

"Yes," I agreed. "It's a yes."

"Great!" she enthused. She started the car and we pulled out of the parking lot. "So, the police station?"

"Absolutely."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N

My understanding of New Jersey law is limited at best, so I apologize if I've gotten anything wrong in this chapter. Hopefully, the story still works if any such errors exist. Please let me know what you think and any suggestions you have that would help me improve my writing. Thanks so much! Chica.

* * *

 **Jennifer's POV:**

We pulled into the lot of the TPD and found a place to park in the second row. After getting out of the car and settling myself on my crutches, I took a moment to appreciate the two-story brick building with the dark-tinted windows. It was charming. I was a little surprised by the look of the place, especially given that the neighborhood mostly consisted of old, worn-out shops. Then again, while businesses like the coin laundry, barber shop, and soup kitchen seemed to dominate the area, there were quite a few new-looking buildings in the mix. Perhaps the neighborhood was in the midst of an upgrade.

Stephanie led me towards two dark-tinted glass doors under an awning, holding one door open for me when she reached it. I walked inside and waited for her to join me. Having never been in a police station before, I had no idea if the layout was typical, but the space was much brighter than I expected; the tall ceilings allowed a lot of natural light into the space. On the left side of the room was a long counter, manned by a couple of uniformed policemen. On the right was a hallway leading to what I assumed were office spaces, and directly in front of us was a wide hallway leading to an elevator and set of stairs.

I followed Steph to the left and watched as she greeted one of the officers behind the counter.

"Hi Eddie," she said.

"Afternoon, Steph," he said, brightly. His eyes wandered over to me before the smile left his face and I winced as it was replaced with concern. He leaned over the counter and spoke so that only the two of us would hear him. "Geeze, did you have to be so rough?" He looked at Stephanie with both anger and disappointment. Steph shot me a grin and she chuckled. "Honestly, Steph," he continued. "Assault is illegal, even on FTA's."

Stephanie stopped chuckling and looked at the officer with a wry grin on her face. "She's not FTA, Eddie. She's here to file a report on a mugger who attacked her last night."

Eddie's cheeks reddened and he pulled himself back over the counter in embarrassment. "Sorry, Steph," he replied. "I shouldn't have accused you. I know you better than that."

"I would hope so," Steph replied. She smiled at him and gave his shoulder a small bump with her fist. "Besides, it's usually me that comes in here battered and bruised."

"That's true." He smiled and looked around the room for a moment. "Is someone waiting for you then, or should I call someone?"

"Bobby said that Carl and Big Dog responded to the scene," Steph answered. "We didn't schedule an appointment but they knew she was coming in today."

Eddie nodded. "They're here; let me just give them a call."

Steph finally introduced us when Eddie got off the phone and the three of us chatted it up for awhile. About five minutes later, two officers came out of the elevator, heading in our direction. Another round of introductions later and Officer Costanza was showing us to an interview room down the hall.

I was surprised by how many people Steph knew at the police station, but I suppose I shouldn't have been. It sounds like she's is in there often enough to get familiar with most of them.

We walked into the room and I took a seat in the plastic chair Big Dog pointed out. Steph sat beside me and listened quietly as I explained the mugging and how I ended up getting hit by a car. I didn't have much more to offer as to what happened after getting hit since I was pretty out of it by then.

"Was the driver injured?" Steph asked.

I felt bad that it hadn't even occurred to me that they might be, and listened intently at the answer.

"Naw, she was pretty shaken up about the whole thing but was otherwise unharmed," Big Dog said. "She was mostly worried that we were going to arrest her."

"Oh my God!" I cried. "You're not going to arrest her, are you? It wasn't her fault at all; it was mine! I'm the one who ran out in the middle of the road."

"No," Officer Costanza replied. "She had no intention to harm you, and with your statement, charges wouldn't stick anyway."

I was relieved that this innocent woman wouldn't be in trouble because of me. "Good," I replied with a nod.

It was about an hour later when I was asked to review and sign my written statement. I was discouraged to hear that the likelihood of catching my mugger was slim-to-none. I guess I hadn't really expected much, but I was hopeful.

"What do I do about ID?" I asked. "I don't have a driver's license, credit card, or ATM card. What am I supposed to do for money?"

"You'll have to apply for a new card," Officer Costanza replied. "Just bring your birth certificate and an alternate ID to the DMV, pay the eleven dollar fee and they'll issue you a new card."

"What if I don't have my birth certificate or any alternate ID?" I asked.

"Well, you'd have to request a copy of your birth certificate from the county of your birth," he replied. "And when you receive it, you can apply for your replacement driver's license."

I was getting a little worried. How was I going to come up with a birth certificate or any other form of identification? Diesel told me that if anyone looked, my records would check out and that the only thing that would seem out of place to me would be the year of my birth. I sure hoped that was the truth, otherwise I wouldn't have any idea how to track down the documents I was going to need in order to live here. My shoulders sagged and I hung my head in frustration.

Sensing my distress, or perhaps just picking up on my not so subtle body language, Big Dog said, "Hang on a minute." He got up and left the room, leaving the rest of us to stare after him in bewilderment. Big Dog returned after a few silent minutes and gave me a sticky note with a woman's name and telephone number on it. "Maxine is a friend of mine at the DMV," he said shyly. "Just give her a call and she can help walk you through everything you need to do."

I smiled up at him as he stood beside the table a little awkwardly. "Thanks," I said sincerely.

A few minutes later, Steph and I said our goodbyes to Big Dog and Officer Costanza, or Carl, as he'd asked me to call him, and we left the small room. We were making our way towards the front door when someone called out for Steph from across the lobby and we stopped. I turned to look at the man approaching us and struggled to keep my mouth from dropping open. He was H-O-T, hot! His dark, wavy hair was a little long around his ears and looked as though he ran his hands through it regularly. He had a strong, slightly stubbled jaw, blue eyes and a great smile. His long and lean figure stood about six feet tall and he was dressed in a tight pair of jeans and a blue, button-up shirt. He looked like an undercover movie star.

Stephanie smiled at his approach. "Hi Joe," she said.

"How are you, Cupcake?" he replied.

I grinned at the nickname and looked at Steph expectantly.

"I'm good," she replied and glanced my way. "Oh, sorry! Joe," Steph began. "This is Jennifer Clark." Joe looked my direction and grinned. "Jen," she continued. "This is my friend, Joe Morelli."

Joe's grin took on a smoldering look when I placed my hand in his and I couldn't help the blush that ran across my face when he winked at me. This was, hands-down, the most handsome man I'd ever met. How he could look at me, covered in bruises and standing on crutches, and flirt so openly, was a mystery to me. It was also extremely flattering.

"Pleased to meet you," I stammered.

"The pleasure is all mine," he replied. "I assure you."

My eyes were locked onto Joe's and I couldn't seem to pull my gaze away… not that I'd wanted to. It was like some magic had been cast between us. And when his thumb began rubbing gentle circles on the back of the hand still clutched inside his, my breath hitched. I'm not sure how long we stood there staring at one another, but the spell was broken when I heard Steph clear her throat and start mumbling to herself. I wasn't sure exactly what she said but it sounded like, "good grief."

I forced myself to look away and pull my hand back. Steph shot me a knowing look and I blushed again. Glancing over at Joe, I could see that his grin was back and he had taken up a relaxed stance with his thumbs tucked inside his front pockets.

"So how do you two know each other?" Joe asked.

"… We … uh…" I spit out.

Stephanie saved me from admitting that we'd only met about twelve hours ago by interrupting my less than eloquent utterance. "Jen's going to be my new roommate," she supplied.

Joe's smile faltered a little before he plastered it back on his face. "Oh, that's great," he replied a little unconvincingly. "Finally getting out of that death-trap, huh? Where are you moving?"

My new roommate let out an exasperated huff. "I'm not moving, and my apartment isn't a death-trap!" She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Joe.

"Steph's letting me stay with her so I can get to know the area and see if I might like to live here," I offered.

Joe gave Steph a sheepish grin and a quiet apology before turning his attention back to me. "New in town, huh?" he said. "Sounds like you might need a tour guide. Why don't you let me take you on a drive so I can show you the sights and we can have a nice dinner afterwards? How does six o'clock sound?"

Wow, he didn't waste any time. Unfortunately for him, Steph and I already had dinner plans. Even if we hadn't, though, I wanted to talk to Steph about Joe before I agreed to go anywhere with him. It was obvious that they had a history, and I didn't want to make her uncomfortable by going out with Joe. He seemed a little uncomfortable when Steph told him that we'd be living together, and I could only imagine it was the prospect of seeing her when picking me up that gave him pause.

"I'm sorry, Joe," I said sweetly. "I already have plans. Perhaps another time." I looked at Steph and noticed that she'd dropped her arms and was sporting a smile now. It seems she likes that I turned Joe down… bummer. "We should probably get going," I said to her.

"Of course," she replied. We walked the last few feet to the doors and she made a move to open them. Joe beat her there and held one of the doors open for us both. Steph looked surprised, but relented with a smile. "Thanks Joe."

Following Steph through the door, I also gave Joe my thanks. He surprised me by following us outside. Stephanie and I maintained our pace when it was apparent that he was going to follow us to the SUV. I expected he would say something as he began walking beside me, but all he did was run his hand through his hair. He seemed suddenly nervous which really surprised me since he hadn't been even a little shy about asking me out. In fact, he was pretty bold to suggest going out tonight. Don't most people make plans days in advance? Maybe he was just out of sorts since I turned him down.

When we got to the Porsche, Steph clicked the doors unlocked and climbed behind the wheel. Joe opened my door for me and helped me get settled in the passenger seat before taking my crutches and placing them into the back. He ran his hand through his hair again as he returned to my open door.

"Can I call you?" he asked sweetly. "Maybe set up a better time to get together?"

"I don't have a phone," I replied. He looked surprised but I just shrugged. I think he was trying to decide if I was brushing him off or genuinely without a phone, which would certainly unusual.

"OK," he replied. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. After grabbing a card, he flipped it over and used the pen from his shirt pocket to write something on the back. Joe held it out to me. "This is my card. My direct number and cell phone are listed there and I've written my home phone number on the back. Give me a call when you have some free time. I'd love to show you around town."

I took the proffered card and smiled. "Thanks Joe."

He gave me another grin and a wink before shutting my door. I looked at him through the window, smiling as Steph backed us out of the parking spot. A moment later, we were heading out of the lot and Joe was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

A/N

So, what do you think? Is it weird that Morelli is interested, or perhaps weird that Jennifer is interested in him? Ideas on what might happen between them?


	6. Chapter 6

A/N

Hello all! Sorry for the extended delay in posting… no excuses. I appreciate all the feedback and errors you catch for me. My goal is to get better as a writer, so your responses mean a lot to me… keep them coming! Chica.

 **Stephanie's POV:**

I drove out of the TPD parking lot and glanced at Jennifer. She appeared to be staring at the passenger's-side mirror in the hopes of catching another peek at Joe. I smiled to myself. It was a little strange, I have to admit, watching the two of them interacting. Joe and I split up about five months ago, and I'd been sort-of seeing Ranger for the last three, so I was surprised by the little pang of jealousy I felt at observing their mutual interest. It's not that I want Joe anymore, because I really don't, but this is the first time since we started talking again that he's openly pursued someone in front of me, and it's a bit weird.

We'd had a rocky couple of months directly following our final breakup. Neither of us was terribly surprised nor very disappointed when we broke things off for good, but it still took us a couple of months to get back into the rhythm of being friends again. We both knew that we weren't a good fit long-term, regardless of what my mother said. For years, we'd clung to what was familiar, and our mutual hope was that we could each change the other into the perfect partner. When it was apparent that neither of us was willing to make any real changes, and we were both too stubborn to be satisfied with anything less than perfection, we'd agreed to move on. I'm quite sure we would have come to this decision much sooner if the sex hadn't been so good. As it was, regular sex with Joe was the hardest thing to walk away from… no pun intended.

Luckily for me, I soon found out that sex with Joe was nothing at all compared to the satisfaction Ranger is able to deliver. I suppose it's possible that sex with Ranger only felt more amazing because of the roughly three months I'd had no sex at all, but then, Joe had never been able to make me forget my own name or lose my voice from crying out so often in ecstasy. I'm going to stand by my original assessment… Ranger has skills!

We see each other most days, but Ranger is very quick to remind me that he isn't relationship material whenever he thinks I have forgotten. One of these days, he's going to realize that we're already in a relationship and that the Burg expectations for a ring and a baby isn't what I'm after; if it were, I would have just stayed with Joe. I know Ranger loves me, even if he's only willing to admit it with qualifiers, like "in my own way." The question is whether or not I can stay with a man who is so determined to keep me at arm's length that he refuses to open up and share his life with me. Like I said, the sex is amazing, but I want someone I can connect with on a deeper level, and I'm beginning to wonder whether Ranger will ever be willing to fill that role.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts and shot another look at Jen. She pried her eyes away the mirror as we turned onto the street and blushed when she saw me watching her.

"So," Jen said with an affected nonchalance. "What's the deal with you and Joe?"

She'd started inspecting her cuticles and avoided eye contact. It was cute how she tried to look disinterested, but I wasn't about to let her off that easily.

"Why?" I asked sweetly. "You wouldn't be interested in him, would you?"

Jennifer blushed and looked out her window. "I was just curious, that's all," she replied, still looking away. "Seems like you know each other pretty well…" Her voice got a little higher as her sentence trailed off into an implied question.

"Sure," I said. "We've known each other since we were kids."

She turned back to look at me and her eyes brightened for a moment. "And…?" she asked impatiently.

"And," I replied. "We used to date."

The brightness in her eyes seemed to fade a bit before she schooled her features and assumed a more neutral expression. "Oh," she said quietly.

Neither of us said anything for a moment. Me, because I was too busy watching Jen (when I wasn't watching the road, that is) and Jen, because she was trying to hide her disappointment. I wasn't sure why my history with Joe seemed to deter her from pursuing him. From what little I knew about Jen, I could see how they might make a good match. Jen was searching for a new home and family, and Joe was looking to settle down and start popping out babies. If chemistry was any indicator of compatibility, those two would be a perfect fit. I decided to help her out.

"Don't let my history with Joe discourage you from going out with him if you're interested," I said sincerely. "He's a good guy and deserves to be happy," I paused for a moment. "So do you."

She smiled at me and went back to looking at her nails; embarrassment coloring her face. "I don't know," she hedged. "I think it'd be too weird."

"I don't see why," I responded. "But if you're uncomfortable at all, don't do it. You won't get any pressure from me." Jen looked at me with something like surprise in her expression. "Honestly," I continued. "I know all too well what it's like when people try to pressure you into a relationship under the mistaken idea that it's in your best interest. All it does is make everyone involved miserable, and unless you ask me for an opinion on it, I'll leave you to make up your own mind on the matter."

A smile ghosted over her face and she looked out the window in silence for a moment. "Thanks, Steph," she finally said. After another couple of minutes she asked, "So where are we going now?"

"Now," I said. "I thought we'd stop by the bonds office so I could introduce you to my friends Connie and Lula."

"Sounds good," she replied with a smile.

In no time at all, I was pulling into the parking lot behind the bonds office. I got out of my car and helped Jen get situated on her crutches before leading her through the back door.

"Hey, Steph," Connie said from behind her desk. She'd been filing her nails and looked up when the door squeaked open. "Who's your friend?"

We walked the rest of the way into the room and found Lula sprawled out on the faux leather couch. She had a magazine open on her chest and she was snoring softly. Well, softly for Lula anyway. Once she really picks up speed she closely resembles a chainsaw.

"Hi Connie," I replied. "This is my friend Jennifer."

"Hi," Jen added.

"Good to meet you," Connie said with a smile. She took a moment to appraise Jen's injuries before looking at me with a serious expression. "Do I need to call my uncle?"

Jen looked confused by the question, but since I knew about Connie's mafia connections, I knew exactly what she was offering. "Thanks," I said sincerely. "But nobody needs to be fitted for cement shoes." Connie shrugged her shoulders as if to say it didn't matter to her one way or the other. "Jen was hit by a car, but it was an accident," I explained. "Of course, if we could find the guy who stole her purse, and led her to run into the middle of the road, that might be another story."

"I doubt we're going to find the kid," Jen said. "It's not like he was driving and I could get his license plate number or anything." She looked back at Connie and gave her a timid smile. "Thanks though."

I grinned. It seemed that Jen had picked up on Connie's offer and was trying very carefully to turn it down without causing offense.

Connie smiled back. "No problem."

"So," I chimed in. "Do you have any files for me?"

"Yup," she replied. "Got two for you. Both are small bonds, but they shouldn't give you much trouble."

I smiled when I read Mooner's name on the first file.

After craning her neck to read over my shoulder, Jen looked at me with confusion. "Why are you smiling? Is he someone you know?"

"Yes," I agreed. "We went to school together."

"Let me guess," Jen said. "He was mean to you in school, so now you get to have your revenge by taking him back to jail."

"Not exactly," I replied.

I was about to give Jen the Cliff's Notes version of my relationship with Mooner when the volume of Lula's snoring reached an all-time high, she snorted, and then started to choke. Before I'd even had a chance to assess her situation, Lula jumped up from the couch and coughed a couple more times before shooting, what looked to be a peanut, out of her mouth and across the room.

We all followed the small peanut to its resting place on the floor beside Connie's desk. With almost choreographed synchronicity, three sets of eyes looked from the floor to the can of nuts on top of Connie's desk. She stopped filing her nails long enough to look at me and shrug her shoulders.

Lula didn't miss the exchange. "You threw that peanut at me?" she asked, incredulously. "Connie, how could you? I could have died!"

"If you didn't stop snoring, I would have smothered you with a pillow," Connie replied, matter-of-factly. She had an air of nonchalance that really sold what would have been an empty threat from most people. With Connie, you didn't doubt her willingness to get her hands dirty. It was one of the reasons that nobody ever bothered her; that and her Family connections. Even Vinnie knew better than to mess with her once she got serious. "The windows were starting to rattle."

"I don't snore!" Lula cried, indignantly. "I was only resting my eyes. The dust was bothering them."

"If you filed once in a while, there would be fewer things lying around getting dusty," Connie replied. She moved a large stack of folders on her desk towards Lula.

Lula looked at the pile with disgust for a moment before looking at the folders in my hand. "I don't have time to do the filing right now," she told Connie. "White girl needs backup to bring in those skips."

Lula stood up tall with a self-satisfied smirk on her face before she seemed to notice Jen's presence.

"Who are you?" Lula asked. It wasn't difficult to see the jealousy in her demeanor.

"Lula," I jumped in. "This is my new friend, Jennifer. Jen, this is Lula."

"Hi," Jen said.

After a brief inspection of Jen's injuries Lula looked to Connie. "You call your uncle?" Any previous animosity between the two seemed to disappear the instant Lula thought she was looking at an abused woman. Having been on the receiving end of the worst kind of brutality and nearly dying of her injuries, Lula was always very quick to offer protection to victims of abuse.

"I offered," Connie replied. "Steph said she was hit by a car."

"It's true," Jen offered. "Honest."

Lula tilted her head to the side as she looked Jen over. After a moment, she seemed to accept what we said and turned her attention back to me. "Clearly, your girl here isn't going to be able to give you the kind of kick-ass backup that I can. You want me to drive?"

"Nah," I replied. "I've got Ranger's Cayenne. It'll be more comfortable for the three of us."

We made our way out of the office and into the SUV. Once everyone was situated, I pulled out of the parking lot and hit the road. "Who we pickin' up first?" Lula asked.

"Mooner," I replied.

"Sweet!" Lula cheered. "He always has the best snacks."

Mooner was currently living with his buddy Dougie in a small, two-bedroom apartment off N. Olden Ave., just outside of Ewing Township. The neighborhood was old but surprisingly well maintained, and much nicer than some of his more recent housing situations. I pulled into the parking lot and parked beside a weathered Cadillac. Turning to the girls, I told them to stay put and I'd bring Mooner out. Lula began to protest, but I shut her down pretty quickly.

"He's likely in the middle of an 'I Dream of Jeannie' marathon or something," I told them. "The only way to avoid sitting with him for the next two hours is to bribe him with McDonald's." I gave Lula a significant look. "If you stay here, I'll swing through and get you lunch on our way to the police station."

Lula thought it over for a moment before agreeing. "Fine," she said. "It'll give me and Jenny here a chance to get to know one another."

I looked over at Jen. Though she looked a little nervous, she didn't protest the situation, so I quickly left them and made my way to Mooner's appartment.

It took two rings of the doorbell and about five minutes for Mooner to answer the door. When he did, I was nearly able to get a contact high from the cloud of smoke which escaped the apartment.

"Dudette!" Mooner exclaimed. "Aww, man. I missed my court date again, didn't I?"

"Yeah, Mooner," I replied. "You did."

"Come in, come in," he said. "Kirk is just about to battle Gorn of the Metrons."

OK, so it was Star Trek and not I Dream of Jeannie; at least I won't be tempted to sit and watch TV with him. I followed him into the tiny living room and took in the battered old furniture and junk-food-littered floor. It was pretty typical of every place Mooner's ever lived, and it made me wonder why it took his mother more than thirty years to finally kick him out.

"I don't have time to watch TV with you today," I told him. "How about we swing through McDonald's for a Happy Meal on the way to the station?"

Mooner stopped before he was half-way seated on the couch and stood back up quickly. "I could use a little happy," he agreed.

He put out his joint and turned off the television before locking the door and following me to the Cayenne. I opened the back door for him and he slid in beside Lula.

"Hello, Ladies," he said sweetly.

"Hey, Moon-man!" Lula responded, just as cheerfully. "Thanks to you, Steph's buying lunch." She ran her hand across her stomach as though she hadn't eaten in a long while. "I can't be letting this big and beautiful body waste away like those skinny white chicks. I got a date later and I'm gonna need all the energy I can get; if you know what I mean…"

Mooner looked at Lula for a moment in stunned silence. "I'm getting a Happy Meal," he finally replied.

Lula nodded and I noticed a genuine smile on Jen's face. It seems that she hadn't been permanently scarred by her solo conversation with Lula since she was able to find amusement in her now. With any luck at all, the balance of the day will go by as smoothly as it has this morning…


	7. Chapter 7

A/N

I know it's been so long since I posted and I apologize. RL has gotten hectic of late. I've been plugging away at this chapter for a while now in my downtime, so it's a bit longer than most. Hopefully the next chapter will be out more quickly. Chica.

* * *

 **Ranger's POV:**

At one in the afternoon my frustration level was nearing an all-time high.

I had hoped to get an early start on this week's payroll, but I'd been interrupted to examine a wiring issue at one of our new building contracts. The manager, a late-forties Alyssa Milano look-a-like, was adamant that I personally inspect the new security unit, on threat of cancelling our services. She'd signed a contract which obligates her to continue paying for our security services, provided that Rangeman makes all reasonable attempts to correct any problems. Regardless of my involvement, she was on the hook. Since it was a new account, however, I decided to see if I could placate the customer and keep the relationship friendly.

After a short inspection of the system, it was blatantly obvious that her only real motivation for the call was her desperate attempt to bring me into her bed. Even more obvious was that the 'faulty' wiring had been intentionally damaged. It disgusts me how desperate some women are. I very clearly explained to her that I was not interested in anything she had to offer, and that I would not be making any personal visits in the future… for any reason. I further explained that damage to the system would be expensive to replace and that the costs would not be covered by Rangeman. She was still pouting when I left the building.

I was just getting back into the swing of things on my computer when my government handler, Jerry, called again. He won't seem to accept that I'd willingly turn down another three year contract. Sure, the money is great, and every time he calls back with an even larger sign-on bonus, a little part of me is surprised that I tell him "no," but my heart just isn't in it anymore.

The reality is that with less than a month to go on my existing contract, I can actually see the light where my Babe is concerned. I've been very careful to keep her at arms-length until I'm in a position to offer her more to hold on to than a folded up American flag. My work for the government has always been dangerous, and the odds of me coming home in one piece, or at all, get smaller and smaller every time I go. It's not fair to make a commitment with Steph when I could be sent out with no warning and no guarantees of my return.

I got into this line of work because of my very specific skill set, and the desire to make a shit-load of cash. Coming from so little, I was determined to put myself and my family in a better financial position. So, with some smart investments and a hand-picked crew to help me make Rangeman the success it is, I've got more money now than I could possibly spend in several lifetimes. Which means that the only way I'll be able to guarantee the time to spend any, is if my destiny is in my own hands. No more government work, no more dealing with foreign scum, and no more avoiding relationships for fear of reprisals. I can protect myself and my family, but only if I'm still alive. I'll let Jerry sweat it out for another week or two and then make him an offer that he can't refuse. Having me visit his training facility a couple of times a year would be a huge benefit, and one that would make my departure a little less painful. Once the government is off my back, I can finally start making plans with Steph.

I was pulled from my thoughts by a knock to my door. "Enter," I called from my desk.

Hector walked through the door and closed it quietly behind him. "Hey jefe," he said. "¿Tienes un minute?" _(Hey boss. Got a minute?)_

"Por supuesto, Hector," I replied. "¿Lo que está pasando?" _(Of course, Hector. What's going on?)_

"Pensé que usted debe saber acerca de una llamada Telefónica que tuve anoche. _(I thought you should know about a phone call I got last night.)_

"Dime." _(Tell me.)_

Hector proceeded to recount his conversation with Bobby the previous evening. Apparently, Bobby asked for a background check on a Californian woman, but didn't say who she was or what he was after. Ordinarily I wouldn't have given it much thought, nor would Hector, but in this case he thought it warranted bringing to my attention since none of the woman's information checked out when Hector initially ran it. Her social security number didn't even exist. The weird part was that when Hector was reviewing her information again this morning, all of it checked out. He handed me a copy.

There are only a couple of agencies with the capability of creating that kind of history in so little time, and none of them would do it without considerable motivation. I couldn't help but wonder what, or rather – who, Bobby was getting involved with.

I dismissed Hector with my thanks and called Bobby to my office.

 **Bobby's POV:**

Steph and Jen turned down my invitation to lunch, stating that they'd had a late breakfast. I would have been disappointed but they suggested I buy them dinner instead. I'm really not sure why it seemed like such a big deal to me; I certainly didn't have any interest in either woman beyond friendship. For some reason though, I felt very protective of Jen. Perhaps because of the way I initially met her and how lost she seemed in the hospital. Or maybe it was just the medic in me that wanted to check on her injuries to ensure that she was on the mend. Either way, I'd get to check in with both ladies at dinner tonight. Knowing that Jen had no friends in the area, I wanted to utilize dinner as an opportunity to introduce her to some of the guys. There are several that would enjoy spending time with a beautiful, single woman.

I was talking with a few of the guys in the break room and letting them know about dinner at Shorty's when Hector flagged me down. The look on his face was serious. And while Hector's face is usually devoid of emotion, those of us that know him well can usually decipher his mood. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to determine anything in his expression, and that made me nervous.

"What's up, Hector?" I asked.

"Ranger que quieres." _(Ranger wants you.)_

Once his message was delivered, Hector made his way to the stairwell and disappeared from sight.

Ranger and I had been friends for years and as a member of his core team, it was safe to say that I knew him better than most. Still, the prospect of walking into his office with no idea what was about to happen left me feeling… less than secure. Especially considering the completely blank look I got from Hector.

Standing in front of Ranger's closed door, I took a deep breath and knocked.

"Enter!" Ranger barked from behind the door.

I opened the door and walked into the office. Noting the serious look on Ranger's face, I stopped in front of his desk and stood at attention behind his guest chairs.

"Close the door," Ranger ordered.

I did as he said and returned to my previous position in front of his desk. Neither of us said anything. After a moment of staring at one another, I began to twitch. Breaking the silence I asked, "What's going on, Ranger?"

"Tell me about Jennifer Clark," He demanded.

I was momentarily stunned silent. This was about Jen? How did he even know anything about her? I stood there wracking my brain for a moment before the pieces began to fall into place. Hector. I knew that background check would come back to haunt me. I should have just waited to have it run when she had her wits about her and wasn't talking like she was born this year. I sighed. "What do you want to know about her?"

"How did you meet?" he asked, indicating the chair in front of me with his head.

Taking a seat, I told him how I was just getting into my car when I saw Jen running down the street, waiving her hands around and yelling at a man on a bicycle.

"At first I thought it was funny, but then a moment later she was hit by a car coming from the other direction and I felt sick to my stomach," I said. "She was unconscious when I got there so I did a quick assessment and called for an ambulance. I was applying pressure to her head wound when she started to come around." A smile made its way onto my face as I remembered our first interaction. "She's kind of funny, you know? I mean, she was lying on the road, her body bruised and bleeding, obviously in a lot of pain, but she was trying to flirt and joke with me."

Ranger looked at me as though that behavior wasn't all that strange to him.

"Trust me," I assured him. "Most people would be nervous or worried and complain a lot more."

"OK, so you think she's weird because she didn't complain," Ranger summarized. "Why did you continue your interaction after she was taken to the hospital?"

"I met her at the hospital because I thought she would appreciate seeing a familiar face when she woke up," I replied. "She told me that she didn't have any friends or family in the area and I didn't like the idea of her being alone. Plus, Anaya was working and I wanted to see her." I grinned at Ranger and shrugged my shoulders as if to say, 'what can you do?'

"Why did you have Hector do a background check on her?"

"Like I said, she didn't have anybody she knew in the area and she was about to be released from the hospital," I told him. "She had a concussion and needed someone to wake her up every couple of hours and I thought she could stay in the medical suite and I would check on her."

Ranger looked at me with anger in his eyes. "You wanted to bring her here?" he asked incredulously.

"Well, obviously not without running a check on her," I defended.

"So tell me," Ranger began, in a tone that suggested he already knew the answer. "What did her background check reveal?"

"As I'm sure you know," I growled. "Hector wasn't able to find her information." I knew how this sounded and didn't want Ranger suspicious or thinking badly of Jen. "She had a concussion," I insisted. "I'm sure she just got a few numbers jumbled in her head."

Ranger nodded his head as though he agreed with my assertion. "See, Hector thought that, too. The funny thing is," he reached over and handed me a file. "When he checked out the information again this morning, everything came back clean."

Now I was confused. "If Hector used the same information I gave him last night, how did he get results this morning when he didn't the first time?"

"Exactly," Ranger said satisfactorily. "Know any agencies who can pull that kind of history together in so short a time?"

I was literally scratching my head. It didn't make sense. Jen wasn't an agent for one of the alphabet agencies, of that I was certain. But why the missing information last night?

"Maybe there was a glitch in the system last night," I suggested.

"Or maybe," Ranger countered. "You were targeted as a way to gain access to Rangeman."

"I don't believe that," I insisted. "Even if someone was crazy enough to intentionally run in front of a car, I don't think it would be her. Besides, she didn't even end up here! I never even suggested Rangeman as an option to her."

Ranger seemed to consider that for a moment and I began to breathe a little easier.

"Alright," he said. "We'll put the guys on alert and be diligent with security should you see her again."

"Well…" I said nervously. "She and Steph are going to meet me, Anaya, and some of the guys at Shorty's tonight for dinner."

"What!" Ranger exclaimed. He jumped up from his chair and glared at me with so much anger that I was actually afraid for my safety. I'd never seen him so mad. "How in the hell did Stephanie get involved with this woman?" he demanded.

I didn't want to answer him. It was clear that nothing I said was going to please him, and anything I did say might actually push him over the edge.

He pounded his fists into the desktop. "Answer me!" he demanded.

"Steph agreed to let Jen stay with her until she got replacement ID and access to her bank account," I said calmly. "She was going to check on her throughout the night to make sure Jen didn't slip into a coma or anything."

"You brought her to Steph's apartment?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied.

Ranger grabbed his keys and moved around his desk. "Let's go," he said tersely.

 **Stephanie's POV:**

I pulled into the drive-thu at McDonald's and got lunch for Lula, and Mooner, and a large Coke for both Jen and myself. We were still pretty full from our late breakfast, and with my limited funds, I thought it better to save my money. Lula called Connie to meet us at the police station and I offered to wait and drive Mooner back home once he was re-bonded.

When Mooner and I got back out the Cheyenne twenty minutes later, Jen was sitting by herself in the backseat and Lula was nowhere to be found.

"I take it Lula bailed?" I asked Jen.

"Yeah, I hope she's okay," Jen replied. "She finished eating her nuggets, said something about getting hives, and then she just took off across the parking lot. I wasn't sure what to do, so I just waited for you to come back. Do we need to go find her?"

"Nah," I answered, climbing into my seat and strapping on my seatbelt. "She thinks she's allergic to police stations. It's just carry-over from her former profession. She's fine."

"Okay," Jen said. "Where are we going next?"

"First," I said. "We're going to take Mooner home."

"Thanks, Dudette!"

"Then we're going to go have a quick talk with Mr. Obermeyer, and hopefully convince him to head into the station with us."

"Okay," Jen said. "Who's Mr. Obermeyer?"

"He runs a little German deli on Adeline St.," I told her. "Great sausage!"

"And you've had to pick him up before?" Jen asked.

"Yeah," I replied. "He's a sweetheart with a serious temper issue. I've had to pick him up a few times."

"What does that mean?" she probed. "How can someone be a sweetheart if they have anger issues?"

"He's actually great ninety-five percent of the time. It's just the five percent you need to watch out for," I told her. "Basically, if he thinks you've disrespected a lady, he's going to start walloping you with an umbrella that he keeps behind the counter. He doesn't like it when people don't use their manners and thinks it's his job to remind the young men who forget." I smiled at her as we made our way back to Mooner's. "He's got a pretty loyal female following even though he's in his seventies. Women like knowing that they can go there without being hassled."

We dropped Mooner off and headed to the deli. "Why don't you come in with me on this one and we can grab something small to eat while we're in there. Just something to tie us over until dinner time," I suggested.

"Sounds good," Jen replied.

I helped her get situated on her crutches and we made our way inside the deli. Fortunately it was past the lunch rush, and there were only a few people lingering inside. We made our way to the counter and greeted the old man with big smiles.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Obermeyer," I said.

"Stephanie!" he greeted. "So good to see you, bärchen." _(Bärchen is a German term of endearment that roughly translates to little bear.)_

"It's good to see you too," I replied, moving aside so that Jen could move closer to the counter. "This is my friend, Jennifer."

"Ah, Jennifer," he sang. "It is indeed my pleasure to meet you. With what can I tempt you today; smoked sausage, salami, liverwurst?"

"Well… um…" Jen stuttered.

"How about two Bratwurst and onions?" I answered.

"Yes, that sounds great!" Jen agreed happily.

"Coming right up," he replied.

"Is Janet working today?" I asked him.

"Yes, she is in the back," Mr. Obermeyer said. "Would you like to speak with her?"

"No," I said quietly. "But perhaps she can watch the counter for the next hour so that I can take you to get re-bonded?"

"Ahhh," he chuckled. "So this isn't just a social call." He laughed again as he continued to make our plates. "Yes, I suppose she could keep an eye on things while I go for a ride with two beautiful young ladies. And if you have a specific destination in mind, I am amenable."

I grinned wide at his playful banter. He truly was a sweetheart.

An hour later we were on our way back to the bonds office with two new receipts. I wasn't going to get rich with checks like these, but they would keep the lights on in my apartment.

I parked on the street directly in front of the office and helped Jen inside. As Connie was cutting my check, Jen and I were trying to convince her to join us at Shorty's for dinner. Technically, convincing wasn't necessary. The minute she heard that several of the Merry Men would be joining us, she was all over it.

"Do you want to ride together?" Connie asked.

"Celia?"

The unexpected interruption startled the three of us; Connie even squeaked. We turned around, surprised to see Ranger and Bobby standing just inside the door. I was trying to figure out what Ranger was talking about when I noticed that his attention was completely focused on Jen. His head was cocked to the side and his eyes were looking her up and down as though she were a prized animal at the fair. A flicker of jealousy grew in my belly.

Jen stood there looking uncomfortable with Ranger's intense scrutiny and I couldn't help but feel the heat rushing to my cheeks as he continued to ignore me. The silence seemed to stretch on forever, though only a few seconds must have actually passed. Regardless, I couldn't stand it anymore.

"What are you staring at?" I all but shrieked.

Ranger took a few steps closer. Bobby stood behind him with a baffled expression on his face.

"I apologize," Ranger said quietly. "You just look so much like someone I know." His eyes never left Jen as he spoke.

"It's okay," Jen said softly.

"No," I disagreed. "It is most definitely not okay." I glared at Ranger, my hands moving to my hips as I nearly lost my mind. "What the hell, Ranger?"

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice back to normal volume.

I blew out a frustrated breath and made the introduction. "Ranger, this is Jennifer. Jen, this is Ranger."

Ranger finally looked my way but couldn't disguise the irritation on his face. He quickly turned his attention back to Jen as he snarled at her. "Which agency are you with?"

"What?" Jen squeaked.

It was clear that she was as baffled by the turn that the conversation had taken as I was. Ranger was behaving so strangely. He was leering in one minute, trying to intimidate Jen in the next, and not once had he even said hello to me. I was beyond pissed.

"Which agency?" Ranger said again. He covered the last few steps between us and grabbed Jen by the shoulders as he glared at her and spoke again with his teeth clenched. "CIA, FBI, ATF, Homeland… what?"

I'd had enough.

"Ranger!" I yelled. I put myself in front of Jen and glared at Ranger, pushing against his chest. Ranger seemed to realize for the first time that he had his hands on Jen so he quickly dropped his arms and took a step back. "What is wrong with you? Back the hell up!" I shot Bobby a look that told him he'd better get ahold of his boss before I introduced my knee to Ranger's testicles.

Ranger must have seen that look too because he took another couple of steps back and out of my reach. His turned his attention back to Jen with a challenge in his eyes. "I just wanted to know who put that stellar background together so quickly… Jennifer." He turned his attention back to me. "I will figure it out, and she won't be able to infiltrate my company."

"Look," Jen finally said. "I don't know who you are or why you think I'd work for some federal agency, but I am definitely not trying to infiltrate your company or anything else." She took a deep breath and winced. "So back off!"

Jen's voice cracked a little and I could see her legs begin to tremble. This was obviously a frightening situation for her and I'm sure it was even more so with her injuries. It's not like she could just run away to escape the situation. I'd never seen Ranger like this and I didn't like it. I didn't know what was going on with him, but it was obvious that I needed to get Jen out of here before things got even uglier.

I kept my body between Jen and Ranger while telling her to make her way to the car. "I'll be right there," I told her.

"Like hell you will," Ranger argued. "You're not going anywhere with her until I get some answers."

My hackles rose in defiance. "I don't know what's gotten into you Ranger, but you don't own me and you certainly don't get to talk to my friends like that." I started walking towards the door and turned around when I was just in front of Jen. "We're going back to my apartment. Don't follow me and don't send one of your guys to stalk me from my parking lot."

Ranger started to reply but I shot him a look and Bobby shook his head at him. We got out of the office and into the SUV quickly, heading home.

* * *

A/N

So, what do you think of Ranger's reaction? Is his response too over the top, or is he justified in his attitude? I'd love to hear what you guys thought of this chapter and any suspicions you have for what's coming. As always, thanks for the feedback, Chica.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N

Hello all. I apologize for the short chapter, but I wanted to post something, even if it isn't as complete a chapter as I would like. I'm having trouble motivating myself to keep up with this story. I know in my head where I want it to go, and I think it could be a fun journey, but I have to take the time to get it out there. I appreciate all of you who are sticking with this story and I really appreciate your patience as I work my way through it. Chica

* * *

 **Stephanie's POV:**

The ride home from the bond's office was made in silence. I don't think either of us knew what to make of Ranger's accusations, so we'd said nothing. Once inside my apartment I told Jen that we should get ready for dinner and that I was going to take a quick shower. She'd decided that she would just change her outfit, so I grabbed some clothes and made my way to the bathroom.

Hot water is a bit of a misnomer in my apartment. At best, the water temperature is "almost hot", but mostly lingers in the "warm" category. Consequently, the warmer the water, the less it lasted, and the quicker the shower. I was grateful that Jen didn't plan on showering and that I could crank the temperature up and try to relax. It might have been a more successful attempt to relieve some stress and tension in my shoulders had I been able to turn my mind off and just enjoy the heat. As it was, the minute I would feel my muscles relaxing was the same time that my mind circled back to the look in Ranger's face when I last saw him and I'd tense up all over again.

Until Ranger and I had our little blow up, I was really looking forward to hanging out with the guys tonight. It's been a while since we've all gotten together and I miss my Merry Men. The problem is that now instead of being excited to introduce Jen to my friends and have a fun evening, I'm worried about what might happen if Ranger shows. Who am I kidding… when Ranger shows. Spending the evening eating pizza and drinking beer is definitely not something Ranger would typically enjoy, but given his suspicion of Jen I doubt he'd pass up an opportunity to watch her like a hawk. Maybe we should stay in.

I'd never seen Ranger as angry as he was at the bond's office, and certainly not with a total stranger. What was his deal? He'd barely asked Jen her name before he started accusing her of working for some government agency. Where'd he even get that idea? I was so angry at Ranger's hostility that I didn't stop to ask him any of the questions now running through my mind. The truth was that Ranger seldom lost his cool, and if he did, he had a good reason. It was making me wonder whether Jen was lying to me or if she was really as confused about Ranger's outburst as I was.

Jen was sitting on the couch when I made my way out of the bathroom. I had opted to dress comfortably in a pair of jeans and a form-fitting blue t-shirt. It gave me the option of dressing up the look with a cute pair of strappy sandals should we go out as planned, or leaving me comfortable in my fuzzy slippers if we decided to stay in. Jen had dressed similarly in jeans and a long-sleeved red Henley.

"Hey Steph," she said softly. She looked over my outfit and hid a smile when she saw my slippers. "You look nice."

My eyes followed her gaze and I shrugged my shoulders. "Thanks," I replied. I took a seat next to her on the couch and tried to figure out how to start this conversation. Either I took too long to say something, or the dilemma was written all over my face because Jen spoke up before I managed to say anything.

"Look," she said. "I can tell that you're uncomfortable around me now, and I don't blame you."

I'd started to protest when she held up her hand in the universal "stop" sign, so I held my tongue.

"It's okay," she continued. "I'd be a bit freaked out, too. You hardly know me and someone you've known for years, someone you trust, has given you reason to doubt me." Jen took a deep breath before continuing. "I put you in an uncomfortable position, and that was never my intention. I want you to know that I really don't have a clue where Ranger got his ideas about me being a secret government agent. That sounds like something right out of a movie, and it _is_ fiction. I swear to you, Steph, I've never worked for the government in my life. Until a few months ago I'd never even left California."

Jen ran her hand through her hair and blew out a frustrated breath. "Regardless, I refuse to be the reason you guys fight," she said. She stood slowly and reached for her crutches on the side of the couch. "I'm going to go. Thank you again for your kindness and friendship. I won't forget either."

"Wait!" I cried. I jumped up when she reached for her crutches and made to grab them from her. She held them tight and looked at me like I was crazy. "Are you really my friend?"

The question seemed to surprise her. "Of course," she replied. Her eyes held a growing wariness.

"Then sit back down," I replied. "Friends give each other equal time to talk and it's my turn."

She hesitated. "Okay."

Jen sat down on the couch again and I moved her crutches to a spot just beyond her reach before resuming my seat.

"Firstly, I'm not uncomfortable around you. You've told me that you don't know what Ranger was talking about," I began. "And I believe you." Jen's shoulders dropped in obvious relief and a small smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. I reached over and grabbed her hand, holding it between my own. "Secondly, I feel a strange compulsion to look after you… like I do my sister. Maybe we were sisters in another life or something." I grinned. "I don't know why, but it's important to me that we get a chance to be friends. Real friends."

After a moment, I gave her hand a quick squeeze of support and then leaned over for the crutches. "Still want to leave?" I asked her.

She looked at the crutches and seemed to think it over for only a moment. "Yes," she said. My face fell as she stood, but when she looked back at me she was smiling. "We probably need to head over to Shaky's for dinner soon, right?"

"Shorty's," I corrected with a smile. "Yeah, we should probably get going." I got off the couch and went in search of my purse. "Why don't we see if one of the guys will return your rental car for you the next time they head in that direction? I don't think you should drive yet."

"I don't have the keys," Jen said sadly. "They were in my purse."

"That's why I thought the guys could help us," I hollered from the kitchen. "They wouldn't let a little thing like car keys stop them."

"If they can pull it off, I'm happy to let them." I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Maybe we should issue it as a challenge," I offered. "See who's up for it."

My suggestion was met with silence. I grabbed my purse off the kitchen counter and made my way back into the living room. Jen was standing by the bookshelf with her back to me as I walked into the room. I moved to stand beside her and noticed the small framed picture of Ranger and me in her hands. Hector had given it to me as a Christmas gift the year before. He'd taken it from security feed at Rangeman and had managed to capture the two of us smiling at one another. Well, I was smiling and Ranger was giving a pretty good impression of someone almost smiling, but there was a definite glimmer in his eyes. Ranger's arm was slung over my shoulders and I was leaning into him just outside his office.

"It's obvious that you two love each other," Jen said quietly as I stood beside her looking at the photo. "Don't let this come between you."

I took the frame from her and looked at it for a moment before returning it to the shelf. She was right, of course; I did love Ranger. And regardless of what he might say on the matter, I knew he loved me, too. Our problems weren't due to indifference. "Sometimes love isn't enough." I said simply. After a beat I re-adjusted my purse on my shoulder and started towards the door. "Let's head out."


End file.
